barrett wissman - admaf program

T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s

Page 5-13: Welcome Messages

4: Festival Overview

Page 16-17: Festival Calendar

Page 18: Frequently Asked Questions

Page 21-37: Concert Programme

Page 38-39: Art Exhibition

Page 40-42: Education Programme

Page 43-66: Biographies & Musicians lists

Page 67: Special Thanks

5th Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival

�

Under the patronage of H H Sheikh

Mohammed bin Zayed Al NahyanCrown Prince of Abu Dhabi

�

H E SheikhNahayan Mabarak Al NahayanMinister of Higher Education & Scientific ResearchPresident and Patron,Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation

Welcome to the 5th Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival The word “Festival” implies a “festive occasion” – a “Celebration” I invite all of you to enjoy this festival by rejoicing in three celebrations

First, we celebrate the accomplishments and talents of the world renowned musicians and orchestras who are performing at the festival Second, we celebrate the increasing community interest and involvement in this annual cultural event And third, we celebrate the festival itself which, in its short history, has become a significant cultural celebration and continues to reflect many of the important aspects of the cultural development taking place in the UAE under the enlightened leadership of His Highness the President, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahayan

This year, the Festival provides a marvelous group of great orchestras and performers and a fine mix of Eastern and Eastern music We are confident that this combination will provide a most enjoyable cultural experience We are also confident that the Festival, in its fifth edition, will continue to enrich the cultural life of Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates

The patron of the Festival is, without question, a dynamic and visionary leader His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahayan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, recognizes the importance of culture and the arts to the life of the community The cultural achievements of Abu Dhabi are due in no small measure to his leadership and his profound commitment to preserving the heritage and cultural values of our country We express our thanks and appreciation for His Highness’s strong support as well as our pride in his vision for Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates

I take this opportunity to give special recognition to the staff and volunteers of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation And I especially thank Ms Hoda Al Khamis Kanoo for her efforts to make this annual festival possible

� �

His ExcellencyKhaldoon Al MubarakCEO & MD, Mubadala Development Co

Mubadala Development Company (Mubadala) is an investment firm that is helping to diversify Abu Dhabi’s economy through capital intensive investments and by building businesses

We establish new companies and acquire strategic holdings in existing companies, either in the UAE or abroad In partnership with world class investors, we actively manage investments in strategic sectors including energy, real estate, healthcare, aerospace and services These investments diversify and further develop the growing economy of Abu Dhabi, while achieving superior returns on its investments

Arts and cultural events are social investments that are important to the identity of Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) is making an important contribution to helping position the emirate as a progressive capital for the arts

We are pleased to sponsor the 5th Annual Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Festival and welcome Abu Dhabi residents as well as visitors to this celebration

His ExcellencyAhmed Ali Al SayeghChief Executive OfficerDolphin Energy Limited

Dolphin Energy Limited takes great pleasure in sponsoring the 5th Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Festival, under the patronage of His Highness the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Within a very short space of time, this Festival has grown to play a leading part in the cultural life of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi This year’s program is the most ambitious to date It emphasizes the Festival’s developing position in the world arts calendar – with the London Philharmonic and the Bolshoi Ballet among signature performers alongside the finest painters, musicians and opera and classical Arabic singers

The Festival must also be seen in the context of Abu Dhabi’s proud ambition to become a leading international centre of art, culture and heritage

Very soon our capital city will be home to Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, to Zaha Hadid’s Performing Arts Centre, to Jean Nouvel’s Louvre and to Tadeo Ando’s Maritime Museum – each eclectic, stunning and at the cutting edge of architectural and artistic design

Abu Dhabi requires, and deserves, an Arts Festival that measures up to this new and increasingly exhilarating cultural atmosphere We applaud the vital work of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation in building up the Festival, and we are glad to play a part in ensuring its success

10 11

Hans-Werner OlbertzGeneral Manager, Emirates Palace

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zahed Al Nahyan, Crowne Prince of Abu Dhabi, we are delighted and honored to welcome the 5th Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival to the Emirates Palace

This prestigious Festival brings together artists of the highest calibre from both Western and Eastern music traditions and provides us with a stunning example of another world class event, highlighting Abu Dhabi as the cultural capital and Emirates Palace as the iconic venue

Recognised on the international arts calendar, this programme will further enhance the fast growing reputation of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival through a series of concerts, collaborative works and arts symposiums

In collaboration with ADMAF, we look forward to welcoming you to the Emirates Palace and to sharing a unique and memorable experience

His ExcellencyMohammad Khalaf Al MazroueiAbu Dhabi Authority for Culture and HeritageDirector General

The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage is entrusted to enhance, preserve, manage and promote the cultural heritage of Abu Dhabi

In this role it supports projects to advance art, literature and culture of the Emirates through collaboration with the most prominent cultural organizations and institutions in the world The strategy of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage incorporates factors that affect heritage and culture of the emirate of Abu Dhabi It also pays special attention to education and training It aspires to enhance the role of literature, art, and music; encouraging creativity, managing historical sites, preservation, promoting intangible heritage and developing cultural tourism

Our support of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival complements with our vision and perception of making Abu Dhabi a hub of culture in the region and the world It demonstrates our appreciation of dialogue among nations and the cultural diversity of the Emirates

In a short period of time, the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival has succeeded in becoming a global event of merging the authenticity of the East with the charm of the West It introduces first class musical concerts, lectures and workshops that enhance the cultural scene in the UAE

12 13

Barrett WissmanChairman, IMG Artists

I am very pleased to welcome you to the 5th Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival IMG Artists is proud to be the Executive Producer of this magnificent event

By showcasing artists of the highest calibre from both Western and Eastern traditions, and creating collaborations between Arab and Western musicians, this iconic festival continues to serve as a major catalyst for Abu Dhabi’s rapidly growing cultural reputation

I am deeply impressed by Abu Dhabi’s commitment to the arts and am honoured and pleased to be able to bring so many great artists and cultural institutions to Abu Dhabi, most of them for the first time, in what is undoubtedly a ground-breaking event in the region

I would like to express my sincere thanks to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, for his kind patronage of this festival I would like to address a special acknowledgement to Her Excellency Hoda I Al Khamis-Kanoo, whose vision and passion have been the driving force behind this event as well as to the wider development and promotion of Abu Dhabi as a cultural destination May I also thank all of our partners and sponsors for their generous and enthusiastic support

I hope that you will enjoy all that the 5th Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival has to offer, and look forward to sharing with you the experience of this truly unique celebration of the arts

H.E. Hoda I. Al Khamis-KanooADMAF Founder

I am thrilled to present to you the 5th Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival For the first time, the Festival includes the visual arts as an integral part This year, the Festival features master artist from Tunisia, Nja Mahdaoui, whose work is a unique combination of the Arabic script and form Mr Mahdaoui will also be providing lectures and workshops, an opportunity not to be missed

Learning and education has been at the cornerstone of ADMAF’s diverse activities since its inception over 12 years ago ADMAF was first to provide cultural lectures, concerts, workshops, awards, educational internships abroad for National students This cultural medium remains very popular among the students and has inspired many young minds to be creative, to question and to explore

It is a particular joy to celebrate Abu Dhabi’s new identity An identity that originates from a heritage and tradition of respect

ADMAF remains Abu Dhabi’s most influential non profit cultural organization with links regionally and globally ADMAF recognizes the importance to complement Abu Dhabi’s ambitious cultural vision by continuously enhancing the quality of it cultural events and programs This conviction has been amplified this year by cooperating with IMG artists, a team of professionals who bring new levels of international expertise and best practice to the cultural scene of the Capital The result is the region’s most prominent cultural Festival

This year, the Festival welcomes the world’s most talented artists from Lebanon, the UK, Tunisia, Russia, Egypt, Morocco, the USA, Iraq, Spain, Poland, France and Lithuania

I would like to thank HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi for his kind patronage of the annual Music & Arts Festival I also thank the ADMAF Patron and President, HE Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan for his continuous support and direction

I now wish to convey my sincere appreciation to this year’s Title “Custodian” Sponsor the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) headed by HE Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) and its Director General HE Mohamed Khalaf Al Mazroui and a final word of my deep gratitude to all of our generous sponsors and ADMAF Advisors

14 1�

Festival overview

Welcome to the 5th Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival, where for twelve days two of the world’s great cultural traditions will come together in a celebration of great music and art

Discover and witness artists of the highest calibre from both Western and Eastern artistic traditions in a celebration of concerts, collaborative works and art

The London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) led by Principal Conductor Vladimir Jurowski, who is described by the Financial Times as “more than a cut above the rest” The LPO presents two concerts, the first featuring one of the world’s foremost violinists Nikolaj Znaider and the second featuring a former child prodigy who is in the prime of his career, pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet

Hiwar Ma’a Al Kibar features the talents of Khaled Selim and Asmma Almonaoar performing some of the most famous Arabic Classical songs, accompanied by a superb 30 piece orchestra (conducted by Saeed Kamal)

From Moscow the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet and Orchestra (conducted by Pavel Sorokin), will present two performances of their acclaimed production of one of the world’s favourite ballets Swan Lake, choreographed to Tchaikovsky’s famous score The Opera Gala features an evening of arias from beloved operas by Mozart, Rossini, Verdi and more, performed by international cast of stars including soprano Anna Netrebko, mezzo-soprano Elina Garanča and bass-baritone Erwin Schrott The company’s own orchestra, an artistic institution with its own long history, the Bolshoi

Theatre Orchestra (conducted here by Alexander Vedernikov) will play the orchestral score

One of classical music’s most captivating and gifted violinists, Sarah Chang, another child prodigy of her generation, performs Vivaldi’s Four Seasons The program also features music of Mozart and Tchaikovsky performed by the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra (Karel Mark Chichon, conductor)

The great Iraqi oud virtuoso Naseer Shamma presents world premieres of eight of his own compositions He will be accompanied by the 60-piece Oriental Orchestra formed especially for this concert Naseer Shamma is recognised across the Arab world as the “Paganini of the Oud”

Lebanese composer and soprano, Hiba Al Kawas, also presents the world premiere of her latest composition, which features one of Spain’s great classical guitarists José Maria Gallardo del Rey in a cross-cultural collaboration accompanied by the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra (Wojciech Czepiel, conductor)

Throughout the festival, one can view an exhibition of works by Tunisia’s leading contemporary artist Nja Mahdaoui Mahdaoui’s calligraphic masterpieces have been exhibited at the British Museum, the Smithsonian Institution and the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, as well as other leading museums around the world

As part of its educational mission, the Festival will host various artist dialogues, workshops and awards – see page 40 for details

Enjoy the festival

16 1�

Festival Calendar (continued)

8:00 PM Emirates Palace Auditorium

The Bolshoi Ballet’s Swan Lake, Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, Pavel Sorokin (Conductor) - See Page 28

Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer

Nja Mahdaoui Art Exhibition - See Page 38

Friday 28 March Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer


Saturday 29 March 6:00-6:45pm Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer Outdoor Terrace

Pre-Concert Talk (details to be confirmed)


Opera Gala featuring Anna Netrebko, Elina Garanca, Erwin Schrott, Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, Alexander Vedernikov

(conductor) - See Page 30



Sunday 30 March Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer


Monday 31 March 6:00-6:45pm Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer Outdoor Terrace

Noted professional violinist and music educator Neil Barclay will speak about tonight’s programme


Vivaldi’s Four Seasons featuring Sarah Chang (violin), Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Karel Mark Chichon

(conductor) -See Page 33



Tuesday 1 April 6:00-6:45pm Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer Outdoor Terrace

Journalist Mr Noneer Amer will speak about tonight’s programme and artists


Naseer Shamma <The Soul of the Orient’ -- World Premiere with The Oriental Orchestra - See Page 35

Open Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer


Wednesday 2 April 6:00-6:45pm Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer Outdoor Terrace

Poet Nada El Hage will speak about tonight’s programme


Hiba Al Kawas featuring Jose Maria Gallardo del Rey with Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra Wojciech Czepiel (conductor) - See

Page 36

Open Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer


Festival Calendar

5th Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival

DAY DATE TIME LOCATION PROGRAMME

Saturday 15 March 11:00 AM Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi Students Concert - See Page 40

8:00 PM Cultural Foundation Julian Joseph and Matthew Barley concert with young local musicians - See Page 41

Saturday 22 March 6:00-6:45pm Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer Outdoor Terrace

Noted professional violinist and music educator Neil Barclay will speak about tonight’s programme


London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski (conductor) Nikolaj Znaider (violin) - See Page 22



Sunday 23 March 6:15-7:00pm Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer Outdoor Terrace

Pre-Concert Talk with Jean-Yves Thibaudet, interviewed by IMG Artists Chairman Barrett Wissman


London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski (conductor) Jean-Yves Thibaudet (piano) - See Page 23



Monday 24 March 6:00-6:45pm Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer Outdoor Terrace

Journalist Mr Noneer Amer will speak about tonight’s programme and artists


Hiwar Am’a Al Kibar’ featuring Khaled Selim and Asmma Almonaoar Saeed Kamal (conductor) - See Page 27



Tuesday 25 March Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer


Wednesday 26 March 6:00-6:45pm Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer Outdoor Terrace

Katerina Novikova, Head of the Bolshoi Theatre Press Department, speaks about the Bolshoi Company and Swan

Lake


The Bolshoi Ballet’s Swan Lake, Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, Pavel Sorokin (Conductor) - See Page 28



Thursday 27 March 6:00-6:45pm Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer Outdoor Terrace

Katerina Novikova, Head of the Bolshoi Theatre Press Department, speaks about the Bolshoi Company and Swan

Lake

1� 1�

H A U T E J O A I L L E R I E C O L L E C T I O N

CHOPARD PROUD PARTNER OF ANNA NETREBKO OPERA STAR

Frequently Asked Questions

What time should I arriveat the Emirates Palace?Pre-Concert Talks will take place at 6:00 pm before each concert These provide a unique opportunity to hear more about the evening’s artists and programme Afterwards you can enjoy the Nja Madhaoui art exhibition on display in the Emirates Palace Auditorium Foyer Doors to the auditorium will open at 7:00 pm and concerts will begin promptly at 8:00 pm

How will I find parking?Ample parking is available at the Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi, with 800 parking spots right under the hotel For overflow, the hotel provides valet parking service As we anticipate that all ADMAF events will be very popular, please plan to arrive in plenty of time in order to park

How do I purchase beverages? In order to purchase beverages you must first purchase a voucher The counter to purchase vouchers is located in the same area as the bar itself Once you have purchased a voucher, present it at the bar in exchange for your beverage But please note, beverages must be consumed before entering the auditorium

May I eat or drink during the concert? Out of respect to the performers and fellow concert-goers there will be no food or drink permitted inside the auditorium You will be asked to finish your drinks and snacks before entering the concert auditorium

When should I applaud?Just before the concert begins, it is customary to applaud as a greeting Typically you applaud to greet the Concertmaster/Leader and you applaud again when the conductor and soloists come onstage

Applause is usually appropriate at the very end of a piece (when the conductor lowers his hands) In a multi-movement work (such as a symphony) it is customary to wait until the end of the last movement to applaud, so as not to break the concentration of the performers The program will tell you the movements in each piece, so you will know how many there are

May I take pictures?The use of still, video, digital and mobile phone cameras and/or audio recording equipment is prohibited at all times during the concerts

What happens if I am late?Out of respect to the performers, no one will be seated while music is being performed However, at the discretion of the performers, latecomers may be seated in between movements and/or in between pieces

What should I wear to concerts?Visitors to Abu Dhabi (both men and women) are advised not to wear excessively revealing clothing, as a sign of respect for local culture and customs

To help you better enjoy your concert, here is some general information and answers to some Frequently Asked Questions

20 21

Saturday 22nd MarchLONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRAVladimir Jurowski, conductorNikolaj Znaider, violin

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Overture to Don Giovanni (K527)

Johannes Brahms Violin Concerto in D (Op 77)Allegro non troppoAdagioAllegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No 6 in B minor (Op 74) - “Pathétique”Adagio - Allegro non troppoAllegro con graziaAllegro molto vivaceFinale (Adagio lamentoso)

MUSICAL NOTES

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)Overture to Don Giovanni (K527)The Composer• Born Salzburg, Austria, on 27th January 1756; died Vienna on

5th December 1791• Composed 21 operas as well as a large amount of music for

orchestra, chamber ensemble, piano and voice • Place in History: Amazing child prodigy whose ability to

achieve near perfection in every musical genre makes him one of the greatest composers who ever lived

Six weeks after the death of his third child (a son called Johann Thomas Leopold, who was born on 18th October 1786 and died less than a month later), Mozart travelled to Prague for a production of his latest opera, The Marriage of Figaro His visit was a huge success, the rapturous reception given him by the Prague public contrasting sharply with the increasing disinterest shown by the Viennese Consequently, when the Prague National Theatre asked him to compose a new opera for them, he readily agreed and set to work on Don Giovanni A première was planned for 14th October, but the opera was not finished in time and it was first staged two weeks later, on 29th October 1787

Even then Mozart was working on the music right up to the last minute and, as his wife recalled, he only completed the Overture on the day of the performance itself Apparently Mozart worked on it all night, kept awake by his wife’s constant chattering, and finished it sometime around 7am There is, nevertheless, scant evidence of haste in the Overture, which opens with music, including two massive solemn chords, drawn from the scene in which a statue arrives to dine with the understandably terrified Don Giovanni The ensuing Allegro, in a major key, portrays in its bustling character, frequent changes of mood and colour, the character of Don Giovanni himself

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)Violin Concerto in D (Op.77)The Composer• Born Hamburg, Germany, on 7th May 1833: Died Vienna,

Austria, on 3rd April 1897• Compositions included piano and chamber music, choral

and vocal works and 13 orchestral scores including four symphonies and four concertos

• Place in History: Major composer of the Romantic era who avoided emotional excess and introduced traditional forms drawn from the Classical era

Brahms composed his one and only Violin Concerto during a summer holiday at the Austrian lakeside resort of Pörtschach, and it was premièred in Leipzig on 1st January 1879 The soloist was the great Slovakian-born violinist, and close friend of the composer, Joseph Joachim

In keeping with Brahms’ strong sense of tradition, the Violin Concerto follows the customary three movement - fast-slow-fast - structure, the 1st movement based on the four contrasting themes outlined in the extended orchestral introduction The gloriously exuberant flourish with which the soloist enters heralds the start of a substantial dialogue between soloist and orchestra culminating in a cadenza; coincidentally the last instance in a major concerto where the cadenza was left blank by the composer (who asked Joachim to write his own for the work’s first performance)

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

auh818_oyster_ips_210x297_fa.ai 2/3/08 14:11:13

22 23

Sunday 23rd MarchLONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRAVladimir Jurowski, conductorJean-Yves Thibaudet, piano

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphony No 38 in D (K504) - «Prague»Adagio - AllegroAndantePresto

Maurice Ravel Piano Concerto in GAllegramenteAdagio assai Presto

Sergei Prokofiev Symphony No 5 in B flat (Op 100)AndanteAllegro marcatoAdagioAllegro giocoso

MUSICAL NOTES

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)Symphony No.38 in D (K504) - «PragueYesterday’s concert began with a work by Mozart written for Prague, a city in which he was treated rather more enthusiastically than Vienna where he had been living since leaving Salzburg in 1781 Mozart was in Prague to oversee a production of his opera The Marriage of Figaro, which took place on 22nd January 1787, and while the Prague authorities subsequently invited him to compose another opera for them (Don Giovanni – the Overture to which opened yesterday’s concert), in the meantime they asked him write something for their orchestra He produced his 38th Symphony, which has been known ever since as the “Prague” Symphony

With the “Prague” Symphony Mozart chose not to follow the Viennese fashion for four-movement symphonies, but to revert to the three-movement format which had been the norm right up to his 25th Symphony (of 1773) All the same it remains one of

the longest he ever wrote, its scale suggested by the statuesque opening of the 1st movement – which anticipates the overture to Don Giovanni – while the ensuing Allegro, making a passable imitation of clucking hens, also includes themes which appeared later in both Don Giovanni and The Magic Flute

The 2nd movement, with its graceful clock-ticking character and delicate dialogue between violins and woodwind, provides the ideal foil for the huge first movement, while some startlingly adventurous harmonic twists and turns in the middle of the movement would have given the audience just that touch of originality they sought in Mozart’s music

The 3rd movement is the shortest and most light-hearted of the three, its playful character belying its sheer technical difficulty; indeed few passages in the whole of Mozart’s output place such demands on the musicians’ ability to produce taut ensemble playing than the opening bars Some rather dramatic moments later in the movement provide a further foretaste of Don Giovanni

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)Piano Concerto in GThe Composer• Born Ciboure, France, on 7th May 1875 Ciboure, France: Died

Paris on 28th December 1937 • Most orchestral scores began life as piano works, but among

his original orchestral compositions are two piano concertos• Place in History: Innovative writer for the piano but also one of

the 20th century’s greatest orchestrators

Despite the centrality of the piano in Ravel’s compositional output, he was 53 before he seriously thought about composing his first piano concerto It took him more than a year to complete the Piano Concerto in G, but in the end he expressed his total satisfaction with it; “I conceived it as a concerto in the strict sense, and composed it in the spirit of Mozart and Saint-Saëns ” It was given its first performance in Paris on 14th January 1932 with Marguerite Long as soloist and Ravel as the conductor

Saturday 22nd MarchLONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (continued)Vladimir Jurowski, conductorNikolaj Znaider, violin

“The most beautiful oboe solo in the whole of orchestral music”, is how the British writer Antony Hopkins has described the opening of the 2nd movement Having established the mood, the oboe gives way to the soloist who enters with an ornamented version of the theme After some momentary increase in tension the movement reverts to the calm, tranquil beauty of its opening bars with a delectable duet between solo violin and oboe

The 3rd movement celebrates in its ebullient double-stopped theme both Brahms’ and Joachim’s shared experiences of Hungarian music

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)Symphony No.6 in B minor (Op.74) - “Pathétique”The Composer• Born Votkinsk, Russia, on 7th May 1840: Died St Petersburg,

Russia, on 6th November 1893• Compositions included operas, symphonies, concertos,

chamber and instrumental works and several hundred songs• Place in History: Russia’s most important Romantic composer,

who brought a heightened level of passion and emotional involvement into traditional musical forms

Although his music was always very vividly descriptive, Tchaikovsky refused to divulge the programme (or story) which inspired his sixth and final symphony, first performed in St Petersburg on 22nd October 1893 It was left to his brother to come up with a subtitle “patetichesky” (usually given in its French equivalent, “Pathétique”) to hint at the Symphony’s character

As Tchaikovsky died just over two weeks after the Symphony’s première, many commentators see in the work – especially in

the profoundly grief-stricken last movement - his own awareness of impending death, but this cannot be true since, at the time, Tchaikovsky was both in the best of health and happier than he had been for a long time Nevertheless the 1st movement begins with a deeply sorrowful introduction This, however, is really more sentimental and nostalgic than sad, and the appearance of a Russian Orthodox funeral hymn – played by the brass in the middle of the movement - is believed to be a tribute to his mother rather than a presentiment of Tchaikovsky’s own death

No sorrow at all in the 2nd movement’s elegant Waltz-like character, and even a touch of humour; this Waltz has five beats in each bar (rather than the usual three) giving it a delightfully lop-sided feel

The first half of the vivacious 3rd movement, with its scampering violins and little fragments of theme, is given over to preparing the way for the big, spectacular march which turns this into one of the most thrilling, spectacular and thoroughly life-affirming of all Tchaikovsky symphonic movements But even as the echoes of the triumphant march die away, the 4th movement’s grief-stricken opening pours out of the violins like a flood of tears Here is some of the most emotionally-charged and passionate music ever written

24 2�

ww

w.im

garti

sts.

com

IMG Artists is proud to be the Executive Producer of the ADTA 5th Abu Dhabi

Music and Arts Festival, working closely with the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts

Foundation as well as the festival’s various partners and sponsors. IMG

Artists is the global leader in the arts management business, combining the

highest standards of management with an incomparable range of services

and management expertise to its customers and clients alike.

With offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Hanover, Lucca

and Singapore, IMG Artists delivers an international suite of capabilities:

Management and touring of the finest musicians, orchestras

and attractions

Festival management world-wide, including:

Producer, Tuscan Sun Festival (Italy)

Producer, Festival del Sole, Napa (USA)

Producer, Singapore Sun Festival (Singapore)

Executive Producer, Festival of the Arts, Boca (USA)

Planning and development of Cultural Centres and Arts Institutions

in throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia

With an unparalleled degree of artistic and managerial talent, IMG Artists is

committed to breaking new ground in the ever-evolving performing arts world.

Dynamic and responsive to changing demands, IMG Artists will continue to

seek out distinctive partnerships and craft new collaborative initiatives in the

years to come.

For more information please contact Ian Smallbone, Managing Director

and Senior Vice President at [email protected]

www.imgartists.com

26 2�

Monday 24th MarchHiwar Ma’a Al KibarKHALED SELIM & ASMMA ALMONAOARSaeed Kamal, conductor

Khaled SelimWithout BlameThe BeautyRejected LoveI Don’t CryForgivenessWhy Do You Blame Me?MightyOh! Patience!And Days Go ByLove Has Come to Us

Asmma AlmonaoarOnce Upon a Time (Warde Al Jaza’ariya)Wahran (Ahmad Wahby)There Were Many People (Fayrouz)My Heart is My Guide (Lyla Murad)This is My Night (Umm Khalthoom)You Betray Me (Abdul Haleem Hafez)What’s This? (Najat Al Sagera)Don’t Let Me Go Alone! (Sayid Makaawi)I Sent to You (Fayrouz)

Two voices brought up on the repertoire of heritage and traditional music Due to their inspiration from the past, they succeeded in establishing a new music which based on tradition and aspires to the future

Khalid Saleem comes from Egypt and Asma Al Munawar comes from Morocco to perform from great Arab musicians

They innovate rather than imitate They perform wittily a new version of the old musical tradition They will sing from the treasures Arabic heritage, from the works of Mohammad Abd Al Wahab, Umm Kolthoom, Warda Al Jaza’aria, Lyla Murad, Fayrouz and Abd Al Haleem Hafez among others in a forgettable night with maestro Saeed Kamal as a conductor

A crack of the whip launches the 1st movement in which, after a beautifully delicate melody which dances and shimmers like light reflecting on water, the trumpet takes over and turns it into something altogether more boisterous

According to Ravel, in the 2nd movement “I wanted to pay homage to ‘scholasticism’ I forced myself to write as well as possible” For the first three minutes the piano is on its own playing a passage of utter innocence and simplicity With almost magical delicacy, the orchestra, led by a beautifully poised flute, joins in, but while various instruments take over the melody, the piano maintains its gently ticking left-hand accompaniment throughout

Coarse brass chords and a thump from the bass drum set the piano off on a frenzy of activity in the 3rd movement accompanied by various squeaks and squawks from the woodwind and brass The spirit of jazz is never far from the surface here, while the work ends with shrill toy-like woodwind and a decisive thump on the drum

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)Symphony No.5 in B flat (Op.100)The Composer• Born Sontsovka, Ukraine, on 23rd April 1891: Died Moscow,

Russia, on 5th March 1953• Compositions include operas, ballet scores, piano and

chamber works, seven symphonies and concertos for piano (5), violin (2) and cello (1)

• Place in History: The leading Russian composer after Tchaikovsky, spicing up traditional musical harmonies with witty and sometimes harsh chords and melodic lines

Having left Russia in the wake of the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, Prokofiev decided to return permanently in 1936; “I had not

grasped the significance of what was happening in the USSR I did not realise that the events there demanded the collaboration of all citizens – not only men of politics but men of art as well ” Less than a decade later, Russia was at war, and with the German army at long last beginning to be driven back from Russian soil, Prokofiev wrote his Fifth Symphony to “sing the praises of the free and happy man – his strength, his generosity and the purity of his soul” Its première in Moscow on 13th January 1945, which Prokofiev himself conducted, was a huge triumph

The Symphony begins with a slow 1st movement, the opening theme played in octaves by flute and bassoon a typical touch of Prokofiev wit, which gradually assumes a more majestic character to conclude with a magnificent celebration implying the “greatness of the human spirit”, to echo Prokofiev’s own words

The nervous and abrupt 2nd movement, with its almost mechanical momentum, has been likened by some to the “horrors of war”, while others see in it “military skirmishes and the rattle of gunfire”

The sorrowful 3rd movement with its plaintive melody may well have been prompted by the terrible price the Russian people had to pay for their heroic resistance to the Nazi invaders, although some of the material is actually derived from Prokofiev’s earlier film-score Alexander Nevsky

Any hint of pessimism is brushed aside in the 4th movement which, after a reflective opening, bustles along with unstoppable energy and a certain amount of impudence

Sunday 23rd MarchLONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (continued)Vladimir Jurowski, conductorJean-Yves Thibaudet, piano

2� 2�

Wednesday 26th & Thursday 27th MarchBOLSHOI BALLET (continued)BOLSHOI THEATRE ORCHESTRAPavel Sorokin, conductor

SYNOPSISACT 1Scene One: The impending tragedy and sorrow is hinted at in the opening orchestral prelude, but soon the mood changes and we find ourselves in an old castle in Germany where Prince Siegfried is celebrating his coming of age He is congratulated by his mother, friends and courtiers and, to suitably majestic music, he is made a knight Vying for his attention, several girls surround him, but Siegfried ignores them dreaming of a pure and perfect love As the festivities draw to an end and the guests depart, Siegfried is left alone in the gathering dusk He is aware of a shadow at his side It is Fate, the Evil Genius, and it fills his heart with dark forebodings as he continues to dream of his perfect love

Scene Two: Lured by Fate, Siegfried finds himself by a mysterious lake In the moonlight he sees on the shimmering water several swan maidens one of which, Odette, he believes to be the most beautiful creature he has ever seen; he has found his perfect and pure love and swears to Odette that he will be faithful to her for ever

ACT 2Scene Three: His mother has told him that he must choose a wife from the prospective brides who are being presented to him at the castle However, he is obsessed with the image of Odette and his dances with the various young women are off-hand; none of them matches his ideal Suddenly a strange knight arrives at the ball accompanied by a ravishingly beautiful young girl and a several black swans It is Fate and his daughter, Odile, who appears to Siegfried as Odette’s exact double Struck by the resemblance, he hurries towards Odile; something Fate has planned as a test of the strength of Siegfried’s love He chooses her as his bride, but as he does so the room is plunged into darkness and a vision of the beautiful Odette appears Siegfried, realising his mistake, rushes in despair after the receding image Odette

Scene Four: Back on the lake at night, Odette tells the swan-maidens that Siegfried has broken his to her Siegfried appears and begs her forgiveness, but while she forgives him, Fate stirs up a great storm which forces them apart and, weakened by his struggle, Siegfried can no longer hold on to the image of Odette and, as day breaks, he is once again alone on the shore of the lake of his lost dreams

Wednesday 26th & Thursday 27th MarchBOLSHOI BALLETBOLSHOI THEATRE ORCHESTRAPavel Sorokin, conductor

Pyotr Ilyich TchaikovskySwan Lake

MUSICAL NOTES

It was Vladimir Petrovich Begichev, the Director of the Russian Imperial Theatre in Moscow, who, in May 1875, offered Tchaikovsky 800 roubles for a major new ballet for the Bolshoi company This was a brave decision since Tchaikovsky, then aged just 35 (and a close personal friend of Begichev’s) had never previously written any ballet music and had achieved only limited success in the field of music for the stage with his opera The Oprichnik As Tchaikovsky himself wrote to his fellow-composer Rimsky-Korsakov; “I took this work partly for money, which I need, and partly because I have long wanted to try my hand at this kind of music” Together with Vasily Fedorovich Geltser, a dancer in the Moscow company, Begichev drew up an outline libretto based on an ancient legend concerning the mythical Swan Maiden; the purest of women who appears in the guise of the most beautiful of birds With additions to the libretto from Tchaikovsky himself, by the following March, most of the work was complete and rehearsals for the new ballet could begin

It all started well enough - Tchaikovsky, having sat in on an early rehearsal, wrote to his brother; “It was a pleasure to watch the male and female dancers smiling at the future audience and looking forward to the possibility of jumping, pirouetting and turning about Everybody in the theatre is delighted with my music” – but then things started to go wrong Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake was such a revolutionary ballet score that neither dancers nor musicians could really grasp the concept At various times it was declared “undanceable”, “too complex” and “difficult”, and it

took 11 months of rehearsal before the Bolshoi was ready to stage the première, which took place in Moscow on 4th March 1877 It was not a success and Tchaikovsky’s score came in for more than its fare share of criticism But, as his brother later recalled, “The poverty of the production, meaning the décor and costumes, the absence of outstanding performers, the ballet-master’s weakness of imagination, and, finally, the orchestra all of this together permitted Tchaikovsky, with good reason, to cast the blame for the failure on others”

The revolutionary nature of Swan Lake lay in both its powerful emotional content and in the way in which Tchaikovsky had produced a single, continuous stream of music Previously ballet music had consisted of a series of unrelated dance movements, but in Swan Lake Tchaikovsky used individual musical themes to represent specific characters (the famous “Swan Theme” being just one of a number of themes which recur throughout the ballet) and created along the way wonderful colouristic effects from the orchestra to propel the story along

Over the years, that story has been adapted, re-written and modified as different productions seek to get to the heart of Tchaikovsky’s conception The Bolshoi production we see today is, in many ways, radically different from others but, as the British Daily Telegraph wrote in its review of this production staged in Birmingham; “The point of Swan Lake is made wonderfully clear, although not at the expense of tradition”

30 31

MUSICAL NOTES

It would seem that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s (1756-1791) first-hand involvement in opera dates back to the time when he was five when, on 1st September 1761, he made his first public appearance singing in an opera staged to celebrate the birthday of the Archbishop of Salzburg Four months later, Mozart’s father, Leopold, took him off on a concert tour of Europe and it was not until 29th November 1766, that he was back home in Salzburg Almost immediately the Archbishop invited him – Mozart was then aged just 10 - to compose one act of an opera to be performed in his palace on 12th March 1767 Thus began Mozart’s career as an operatic composer; a career which saw the creation of 20 more operas, culminating in the great masterpieces of Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte, La clemenza di Tito and Die Zauberflöte, which was completed just three months before Mozart’s untimely death

Our Opera Gala opens with the first of those great masterpieces, Le nozze di Figaro (“The Marriage of Figaro”) which was first staged in Vienna on 1st May 1786 Mozart composed its Overture just two days before the first performance, and, with its urgent, whispering opening, its frenetic energy and a lack of any middle section at a slower tempo, it serves as a brilliant summary of what happens during the course of the opera; which tells of the frantic comings and goings, intrigues and practical jokes, which take place on the day on which Figaro, an aristocrat’s manservant, marries

Mozart’s penultimate opera, La clemenza di Tito (“The Clemency of Titus”) was first staged in Prague on 6th September 1791 and is set at the time of Emperor Titus in 1st century Rome Our first extract from this opera, the duet “Ah perdona il primo affetto” (“Ah, forgive, my former love”), finds two lovers, Annius and Servilia, declaring their love for each other in the face of Titus’s decision to choose Servilia as his own wife

Following a hugely successful performance of La nozze di Figaro in Prague, Mozart was asked to write a new opera expressly for the city He responded with Don Giovanni which was premièred on 29th October 1787 It tells of the famous Spanish womaniser (who

is more often known as Don Juan) and of his eventual destruction at the hands of the father of one of the women he had seduced Proud of his string of female conquests, Don Giovanni instructs his manservant, Leporello, to list them all in the famous “Catalogue Aria”, “Madamina, il catalogo è questo delle belle che amò il padron mio” (“Young woman, this is the list of beautiful women my master has seduced”) According to Leporello, his master’s conquests numbered 2065, with 640 in Italy, 231 in Germany, 100 in France, 91 in Turkey and no less than 1003 in Spain

Returning to La clemenza di Tito we find that, jealous of Servilia and besotted with Servilia’s brother Sextus, Titus’s daughter wants Sextus to set the city on fire and murder her father; and as Sextus sets off on the task, he sings the aria “Parto, parto ma tu ben mio” (“I go, but, my dearest”) Also taking its theme from ancient history, Mozart’s 13th opera, first staged in Munich on 29th January 1781, was set in the aftermath of the Trojan Wars and concerned the King of Crete, Idomeneo It contains one of Mozart’s rare operatic mad scenes in “D’Oreste, d’Ajace ho in seno I tormento” (“What fury! What Madness! Rage and despair consume me!”), where Electra, having been foiled in her attempt to marry Idomeneo’s son, goes berserk giving vent to her anger and despair Earlier, however, the object of her desires, Idamante, has been on the verge of execution at the hands of his own father The music we hear next is played as he is led to the sacrificial altar; Mozart himself described this as “a very simple March for two violins, viola, cello and two oboes, to be played mezza voce While it is being played, the King appears and the priests prepare for the sacrifice”

Between Don Giovanni and La clemenza di Tito, both composed for Prague, Mozart wrote one opera for Vienna, which was first performed in the city’s Burgtheater on 26th January 1790 Così fan tutte is concerned with the faithfulness, or otherwise, of two women engaged to the two soldiers who, during a night of heavy drinking, accept a challenge, thrown down by Don Alfonso, that their respective sweethearts will prove unfaithful within the space of just 24 hours He gets to work on the two girls by, first, informing them that their two men have sailed away to war “Soave sia il vento” (“May the wind blow gently”)

Saturday 29th MarchOPERA GALAANNA NETREBKO, sopranoELINA GARANČA, mezzo-sopranoERWIN SCHROTT, bass-baritoneBolshoi Theatre OrchestraAlexander Vedernikov, conductor


I

Le nozze di Figaro – Ouverture W A Mozart

La Clemenza di Tito – ‘Ah perdona il primo affetto’ W A Mozart Anna Netrebko & Elina Garanca

Don Giovanni – ‘Madamina, il catalogo e questo’ W A Mozart Erwin Schrott La Clemenza di Tito – ‘Parto, parto’ W A Mozart Elina Garanca

Idomeneo – ‘D’Oreste d’Aiace‘ W A Mozart Anna Netrebko

Idomeneo – March W A Mozart Cosi fan tutte – ‘Soave sia il vento’ W A Mozart Anna Netrebko, Elina Garanca, Erwin Schrott II La forza del destino – Ouverture G Verdi

Macbeth – ‘Come dal ciel precipita’ G VerdiErwin Schrott

Norma – ‘Casta Diva’ V Bellini Anna Netrebko

La cenerentola – ‘Nacqui ‘all affanno’ G Rossini Elina Garanca

Il viaggio a Reims – ‘Sinfonia’ G Rossini ‘Les filles de Cadiz’ L Delibes Anna Netrebko

Carmen – ‘Toreador’ G Bizet Erwin Schrott

Carmen – ‚Chanson Boheme’ G BizetElina Garanca

32 33

Monday 31st MarchSARAH CHANG, violinVivaldi / Four SeasonsKarel Mark Chichon, conductorLithuanian Chamber Orchestra

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Divertimento in D (K136)AllegroAndantePresto

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings (Op 48)Piece in form of a SonatinaWaltzElegyFinale

Antonio Vivaldi The Four Seasons1. Spring (Allegro - Largo - Allegro; Danza Pastorale)2. Summer (Allegro con molto - Adagio - Presto)3. Autumn (Allegro - Adagio molto - Allegro; La Caccia)4. Winter (Allegro non molto - Largo - Allegro)

MUSICAL NOTES

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)Divertimento in D (K136)

In the middle of March 1772 Hieronymus Joseph Franz von Paula, Count of Colloredo, was elected Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg Mozart, who up to that time had been serving as Concert-Master to the Salzburg court orchestra without receiving any payment, saw in the appointment the opportunity to impress sufficiently to be able to procure a respectable salary Thus it was that between 29th April, the date of the Archbishop’s enthronement, and 21st August, the day on which Colloredo eventually decreed that Mozart be paid an annual salary of 150 Gulden, music quite literally poured from Mozart’s pen There were two operas, five pieces of sacred music for use in Salzburg Cathedral, six string quartets, 21 symphonies, seven songs and a group of three instrumental works composed for events associated with the celebrations to mark the enthronement which included the Divertimento in D

Mozart may have been just 16 when he composed this Divertimento in D, but as is evident from the charming 1st movement with its gracefully cascading strings above a gently chugging accompaniment, this is a work of real distinction The 2nd movement is a graceful and easy-going Andante, while the 3rd movement opens with mischievous pianissimo chords before the violins scuttle off in playful mood to indulge in some exuberant chasing games

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)Serenade for Strings (Op. 48)

On 21st September 1880 Tchaikovsky settled down to compose a new symphony but, a few days into the work, he decided it might be better as a string quartet In the event, it turned out to be a cross between the two As he wrote to his publisher, “I have accidentally written a Serenade for string orchestra”, Thus the Serenade for Strings was born, one of just two works for string orchestra Tchaikovsky produced, and its public première in St Petersburg on 30th October 1881 (it had been given a private performance in Moscow 10 months earlier) was such a success that the second movement had to be repeated immediately

The Serenade is a tribute to the musical world of the 18th century Tchaikovsky described the 1st movement as “my homage to Mozart; it is intended to be in imitation of his style and I should be delighted if I thought I had in any way approached my model ” The 2nd movement, one of Tchaikovsky’s most famous and delightful Waltzes, is also firmly rooted in the elegance of 18th century Vienna, although the 3rd movement with its richly soaring melody and moments of real passion and intensity is pure 19th century romanticism The 4th movement begins gently with the gradual emergence of a theme originating from a song sung by barge-pullers on the tow-paths of the great River Volga near Nizhni-Novgorod This breaks into a boisterous dance based on another authentic Russian melody, a Moscow street song, and despite the eventual re-emergence of the stately theme with which the work began, the infectious high spirits of the movement continue to the very end

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) was the greatest Italian opera composer of the second half of the 19th century He was certainly a hero to the Italians (at one point crowds would gather in the streets and call “Viva Verdi!”, although this was actually a coded call for Italian unification under King Victor Emanuel – Viva Verdi = Vittorio Emanuele Ré D’Italia; “Long live Victor Emanuel King of Italy”) and any new opera of his was almost guaranteed to be an enormous box office success So it was that opera houses, not just in Italy but further afield, clamoured for the privilege of premièring one of his 28 operas On 10th November 1862 that privilege went to the opera house in St Petersburg, Russia, where his 24th opera, La Forza del destino (“The Force of Destiny”) was premièred The Force of Destiny boasts a truly spine-tingling Overture Heralded by six menacing hammer-blows a clarinet bears its soul in a hauntingly sorrowful melody In the background the violins urge it along with their own rushing theme and this conflict between fast and slow, sorrow and joy drives the music along with unstoppable force

Premièred in Florence on 14th March 1847, the first of Verdi’s three operas based on plays by Shakespeare was Macbeth, a gruesome tale of murder in the Scottish court Having murdered King Duncan, Macbeth realises that one of the king’s generals, Banco, must also be killed and as Banco walks into a garden with his son, he is filled with justifiable foreboding, which he reveals to his son in the aria “Come dal ciel precipita” (“How the heavens darken”)

Italian opera composers in the first decades of the 19th century developed a style of writing for singers which has become known as “Bel Canto” Its heyday coincided with the life of Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835), whose Norma is regarded as the supreme example of a “Bel Canto” opera, and its eponymous heroine’s prayer to the moon -“Casta Diva”(“Pure Goddess”) - the finest example of a “Bel Canto” aria The three key elements of “Bel Canto” were listed by Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) as; ”a naturally beautiful voice even in tone across its full range, careful training that encourages

effortless delivery of highly florid music, and a mastery of style which cannot be taught” And Rossini knew a thing or two about opera being, without doubt, the most successful operatic composer of the first half of the 19th century So successful was he, in fact, that at the age of 37 and with 39 operas to his credit, he retired to a villa on the outskirts of Paris The 20th of those operas was based on the famous story of Cinderella – La Cenerentola – who recalls, when her heart is full of joy at having married her prince, the sorrows of her earlier life in “Nacqui all’affanno e al pianto” (“I was born to Sorrow and Tears”)

We now follow Rossini as he moves from Italy to France Shortly after he had settled there he was commissioned to write an opera to be performed during the celebrations for the Coronation of King Charles X in Reims in 1825 He wrote Il viaggio a Reims (“The Journey to Reims”) which took as its theme the various European monarchs heading to the Coronation and opens with a suitably majestic Overture And it was Rossini who indirectly inspired a native French composer, Leo Delibes (1836-1891) to take up opera (his mother, a leading operatic soprano, had sung in several Rossini operas) Delibes wrote several operas, but today we hear not an opera, but a setting he made of words by Alfred de Musset evoking Spain through the eyes of three girls - “Les filles de Cadix” (“The Girls from Cadiz”) – dancing that most characteristic fo Spanish dances, the Bolero

Another Frenchman’s view of Spain comes from Georges Bizet (1838-1875) whose opera, Carmen, is centred around that most Spanish of entertainments, the bull-fight In the wake of another successful contest, the leading Toreador, Escamillo, enters a tavern where the crowd sings his praises He responds with the famous Toreador’s Song, “Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre” (“To your toast, I can answer with another”) Also in the same tavern is Carmen herself, who sings of the joys of gypsy life; “Les tringles des sistres tintaient” (“Guitar strings and zithers sounded”)


34 3�

Tuesday 1st AprilWORLD PREMIERE – The Soul of the OrientNASEER SHAMMAWith the Oriental Orchestra

SaluteAmong the Palm TreesViolet of FingersMural of LifeOh!My Hear, RejoiceJalal Al Deen Al Rumi HujaAl Nahaawand TimeAscension LandSoul loverThe Old Man and I

Musical Notes

Naseer Shamma is one of the most prominent oud players in the world He has devised new ways of playing the instrument like playing with one hand He also added another chord to the oud and discovered two Maqams, Wisdom and Al Kuot, the latter is named after his hometown in Iraq He invented a new musical form entitled «Crescent»

Mr Shamma was invited to many countries across the globe The German Ministry of Culture has bestowed on him the title of «Messenger of Arabic and Islamic Culture to the West» He is also the winner of many musical awards

In addition to playing the oud, he is the composer of many musical pieces and original film soundtracks He played with distinguished international orchestras He is the founder of «Al A’ayoun» ensemble for Arabic chamber music, and «Takhayol» ensemble

In association with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, he opened a centre for teaching oud playing techniques called «Arab Oud House» He has founded the first oud orchestra in the world which he dreams to see its members reach one hundred

Many documentaries were made about Mr Shamma in various languages He has produced many CDs and the father of the notion of gathering international musicians to participate in «Our Mother Earth» project

Monday 31st MarchSARAH CHANG, violin (continued)Vivaldi / Four SeasonsKarel Mark Chichon, conductorLithuanian Chamber Orchestra

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)The Four SeasonsThe Composer• Born Venice, Italy, on 4th March 1678: Died Vienna, on 28th

July 1741• Composed an enormous number of operas and concertos,

many of which were for the students of the girls’ school in Venice in which, for many years, he worked as music master

• Place in History: Arguably the most universally popular composer of the Baroque era, who introduced colour and imagery into purely instrumental music

Undoubtedly the best known of all Vivaldi’s works come from a set of 12 violin concertos published in Amsterdam as his “Opus 8” in 1725 Given the overall title “The Contest between Harmony and Invention”, he prefixed the first four of with verses describing the seasons of the year and marked the points in each concerto which correspond to phrases from the opening verses These works, each of which is in fact a self-contained violin concerto, have become known universally as “The Four Seasons”

SPRING has arrived and happily the birds welcome it in joyful song”, and we hear plenty of chirping birdsong effects in the 1st movement Later we hear the “streams flowing with sweet murmurings”, while the music becomes more agitated to represent a passing thunderstorm after which “the little birds return and resume their singing” The 2nd movement depicts the scene in a “pleasant, flowery meadow under rustling trees where the shepherd sleeps with his faithful dog at his side” The 3rd movement is a rustic dance “To the festive sounds of country bagpipes, nymphs and shepherds dance in the fields”

SUMMER The 1st movement opens as, “under the scorching sun man and beasts languish and the pine trees burn” The music suddenly livens up as “the cuckoo begins to sing followed by the turtledove and the nightingale” After some lovely nightingale

song effects from the solo violin a “sweet wind blows, but is challenged by another blowing from the north” and the next entry of the solo violin represents a “shepherd boy crying out, frightened by the impending storm” In the 2nd movement we find him “stirring his weary limbs for fear of the ferocious lightning and the swarms of gnats and flies” It is only in the 3rd movement that the storm breaks out in all its fury with flashes of lightning, claps of thunder and bursts of torrential rain

AUTUMN in Italy is a time of harvesting and relaxation In the 1st movement we hear the “peasants celebrating the good harvest with dances and joyful songs” Some extrovert solo violin playing represents the peasants “aflamed by much wine” and after some prolonged merrymaking they all fall asleep They continue to sleep throughout the 2nd movement (“Sleeping drunkards”), while, with the 3rd movement, we find everyone out on the hunting field “The hunter goes forth at daybreak with horns, guns and ferocious dogs The prey is sighted and they follow in its tracks Tired and wounded as well as terrified of the noise of guns and dogs, the hunted animal makes a final bid for freedom but is caught and killed”

WINTER begins with much «shivering in frozen snow» and with the solo violin in the 1st movement representing the «icy blast of a biting wind» We also hear the «stamping of feet and the chattering of teeth» A welcome respite from the bitter weather is provided by the warm and relaxing 2nd movement in which, while the plucked strings in the background represent the «pouring rain outside» the solo violin sings a lyrical melody representative of «resting by the fire in peace and contentment» Back outside the 3rd movement treats us to a walk «on the ice, afraid of slipping and falling, but growing in confidence until, finally the ice cracks and breaks We hear through an iron gate all the winds in conflict”

36 3�

Lianni AhyaMusic composition: Hiba Al KawasPoetry: Nada El HageYa Naseema ElReehMusic composition: Hiba Al KawasPoetry: Al HallajAllegro con spirit (1st mvnt)Music composition: RodrigoWadadtu Law AqoulMusic composition: Hiba Al KawasPoetry: Nada El Hage WORLD PREMIERE, a special creation for Abu Dhabi Music & Arts FestivalHabibiMusic composition: Hiba Al KawasPoetry: Abdel Aziz Khoja WORLD PREMIERE, a special creation for Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Festival

Aires di SiviliaMusic composition: Jose Maria Gallardo Del ReyWORLD PREMIERE, a special creation for Abu Dhabi Music & Arts FestivalSawti assama’Music composition: Hiba Al KawasPoetry: Zahi WehbiPleusis no. 1 Adagio (2nd movement)Music composition: Hiba Al KawasDedicated to Mrs Nazek Hariri in April 2000Araftu BeirutMusic composition: Hiba Al KawasPoetry: Hussa

Wednesday 2nd AprilHIBA AL KAWAS, soprano/composerJOSé MARIA GALLARDO DEL REY, guitarThe Bolshoi Theatre OrchestraWojciech Czepiel, Conductor

Pleusis no. 1Allegretto ( 1st movement)Music Composed by: Hiba Al KawasDedicated to Mrs Nazek Hariri in April 2000Ashamamta ItriMusic composition: Hiba Al KawasPoetry: Nada El Hage

Wa Tuhibbuni Music composition: Hiba Al KawasPoetry: Houda NaamaniBiekfi TwaddeniMusic composition: Hiba Al KawasPoetry: Ragheda MahfouzConcierto de AranjuezAdagio (2nd movement)Music composition: RodrigoAssawtMusic composition: Hiba Al KawasPoetry: Zahi Wehbi WORLD PREMIERE, a special creation for Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Festival

Tabqa Li Music composition: Hiba Al Kawas Poetry: Ounsi El HageRosalesMusic composition: Jose Maria Gallardo Del ReyNjoum eddini biinaikMusic composition: Hiba Al Kawas Poetry: Nada EL Hage WORLD PREMIERE, a special creation for Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Festival

Asra BiqalbiMusic composition: Hiba Al KawasPoetry: Abdel Aziz Khoja WORLD PREMIERE, a special creation for Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Festival

Intermission

In the Path of Light (Symphonic poem)Music composition: Hiba Al Kawas WORLD PREMIERE, a special creation for Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Festival

Dedication:

When I met her for the first time she said, «C’est déjà vu»And I addressed her writing her a dédicace, «Sister»At that time I saw, as if a destiny connected her to music from lives ago and Universes… I saw, Odor of Mist, powder of Gold, a look to the unseen, a dream yet rooted in the heart of Earth…Two years ago in the closing night of Abu Dhabi Festival her eyes imprisoned water of accomplishment…And the dream is not a dream, the odor transforming to Music, the veiled on its way to be seen, the roots spread in the golden desert planting it with Music…The mission is difficult but coming true in the country of vision… Hoda, ten years ago you asked me, «Hiba, why Music, why?» you asked me the question as if it was your Rattle And I answer you today it’s because «You are In the Path of Light»

To Mrs Hoda Kanoo I dedicate my Symphonic Poem, «In the Path of Light» Hiba Al Kawas

Wednesday 2nd AprilHIBA AL KAWAS, soprano/composer (continued)JOSé MARIA GALLARDO DEL REY, guitarThe Bolshoi Theatre OrchestraWojciech Czepiel, Conductor

3� 3�

II

Exhibitions

“The Brush dances & the Ink Signs“ Hermitage Museum - St-Petersburg, RussiaMeem Gallery, Dubai, United Arab Emirates “The Brush dances & the Ink Signs“ - State Museum of Oriental Art – Moscow, RussiaTehran Biennial (Guest of honour and Jury member) - IranSharjah Arab Art Biennial (Guest of honour and Jury member) – United Arab EmiratesWord into Art – British Museum, London, Great BritainTunisian Great Prize of Arts & Letters - TunisiaArtcraft Unesco Prize – Paris, FranceInternational Jury member of the Unesco Arts PrizeGulf Air 50th Anniversary Signs, Traces and Calligraphy - Barbican Centre, London, Great BritainLeighton House Museum – London, Great Britain“Images d’Afrique” at the Barbican Center, London, Great Britain“Images d’Afrique” at the Kit Museum, Amsterdam, Holland“Images d’Afrique” at the Odense Museum, Denmark

“Arab Book Art” at the Bibliothèque Nationale – Paris, FranceART Basel - 1982Honorary Medal from the King Ibn Saoud (Saudi Arabia) for his artworksGold Medal of the City of Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaIwalewa Center – Bayreuth, GermanyWilfredo Lam Modern Art Center – CubaThe Ludwig Museum - Aachen, GermanyPoster for Amnesty InternationalGalerie Cobol – Copenhagen, DenmarkDuo with Wolfgang Heuwinkel at The Unesco – Paris, Berlin and the Gutenberg Museum in Mayence, Germany“La Hune” – Paris, FranceRochan Gallery – Jeddah, Kingdom of SaudiDakar Biennial (Jury member)USIA Invitation in the USACitibank “International Album”The Arab Woman Court organised by “El Taller” in Beirut and BeijingATCE (Tunisian Foreign Co-operation Agency) TunisiaIcograda Zanders Calendar (UN & Unesco) – New York & ParisThe International Peace Book (Chantal Bernard - Unesco) – FranceGraphic Design Biennial of Brno, Czechoslovakia

Tuesday 22nd March – 2nd AprilCalligraphic masterpieces by NJA MAHDAOUIEmirates Palace Auditorium Foyer

Tuesday 22nd March – 2nd AprilCalligraphic masterpieces by NJA MAHDAOUIEmirates Palace Auditorium Foyer

Nja Mahdaoui is a visual artist and explorer of signs Born in Tunis in 1937, he currently lives and works in Tunisia For further information see page 65 or visit www nja-mahdaoui com

I

Collections

The British Museum – London, Great BritainThe National Museum of African Arts – Smithsonian Institution – Washington D C , USAThe National Gallery of Kuala Lumpur – MalaysiaBibliothèque Nationale – Paris, France

Museum of Modern Art - TunisInstitut du Monde Arabe – Paris, FranceThe National Museum of Scotland, Great BritainThe Ohsaki O’ Art Museum of Tokyo, JapanThe Modern Art Museum, Baghdad, IraqBeit Al Quran, Manama – BahrainThe Royal Museum of Contemporary Art, Amman, JordanThe Museum of Contemporary Art of Baie Saint-Paul, CanadaHM The Late King Fahad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud“Dar Chraiet” Museum – Tozeur, TunisiaJapan FoundationSaudi Aramco

Photography© All rights reserved - Nja Mahdaoui

Photography© All rights reserved - Nja Mahdaoui

40 41

The Elite Music Institute(Mrs Marina Zamfir, music teacher and coordinator)

Ballet group (Sandra Rizk, Maria-Cristina Abou Zeid, Natalie Salman, Jude Al Qubasi, Sonia and Lilia Pervuhina’s, Yasmine El Choupi, Cristina Antypas, Maria Dvornikova, Louise Edgley) Russian danceShingai Mizuno, piano various Juff Shayanne, violin variousEl Choupi Yasmine, vocalist variousLee Seejin, guitar various

Abu Dhabi Indian School(Mrs Cyrilla Sebastian Thottan, music teacher and coordinator)Arianne Sebastian, piano Chopin / PreludeSylvester D’souza, guitar Mel Bay / Arkansas TravellerNilav Sebastian & Johann Sebastian, piano and guitarBobby Troup /Route 66Victoria Vijayan, guitarF. Von Suppe / Waltz from the Poet and the Peasant Overture.Joshua Vijayan, piano Sandra Lynch /Bus DriverAbish Rego , guitar Mazas /SonatinaJohann Sebastian, piano Peter Kember /Swan Song

Katarina Peers’s performing students Anna & Carla Michael, piano Edelweiss, R.RogersThe Phantom of The Opera, A.L.WebberChristina & Vanessa Moukarzel Beauty and The Beast, A. MenkenTomorrow, Ch.StrouseTony Henein In a Hall of the Mountain King, E.GriegNoor Samarani Hungarian Dance, J.BrahmsRoger Saoud Prelude, M.Aaron

Marielle Rivet’s performing studentMariam Al Askari, pianoClair de Lune – Debussy

Saturday 15 March

Julian Joseph and Mathew Barley concert with young local musicians Time: 8:00pmVenue: Cultural Foundation, main auditoriumOpen to the Public

ProgrammeJulian Joseph and Mathew Barley with childrenIntro piece with children and chat

Julian Joseph and Mathew Barley Improvisation

Julian Jospeh Solo piece

Matthew Barley Bach prelude in Eb BWV 1010

Julian Joseph and Mathew BarleyMiles Beyond by John McLaughlin

Julian Joseph and Mathew Barley withchildrenBlues/devised piece Julian Joseph and Mathew Barley Vika, by Julian Joseph

Julian Joseph and Mathew Barley Improvisation and Ravel’s Habanera Julian Joseph and Mathew Barley Cha Cha, by Jaco Pastorius

Young performing musicians:Beethoven Institute of MusicKarinia Khoury, pianoStepahnie Machado, piano

The British School Al KhubairatSasan Munro, bass guitarEdouard Villain, clarinetDhani Miller, trumpet and guitarMarc Muir, alto saxophoneSawsan Khalaf, trumpetCallum Cromey-Hawke, french hornZena Beale, clarinet and violinSerena Kara, flute

The Centre Edu CareMia Clausin, Cello Sanjay Jahn, piano Hady Mahfouz, guitarRodney Fakhry, guitar Jean Prouvost, guitar

Education ProgrammeADMAF


ADMAF’s education programme within the 5th Classical Music & Arts Festival and in collaboration with the universities and schools of Abu Dhabi is established as a source of inspiration to shape creative thinking, discover young talent, and to build on our rich tradition and culture to open new artistic, cultural and educational horizons

The annual Children’s Day is an event seeking to give the opportunity to young locals to express their musical talents in public (morning performance) and the chance to perform with professionals musicians, invited especially on that occasion (evening performance)

All along the festival, ADMAF also strives to provide a full education programme by inviting the artists and performing orchestras to give lectures or exclusive live performances in an ever-growing number of schools and universities of Abu Dhabi

CHILDREN’S DAY

Saturday 15 MarchAbu Dhabi Students ConcertTime: 11:00 amVenue: Cultural FoundationOpen to the Public

ProgrammeThe Beethoven Institute of Music(Mrs Shahnaz Fernandez, music teacher and coordinator)Karinia Khoury, pianoModinho-russo brasiliera- SlonimskyWaltz - ChopinStephanie Machado, pianoBeach Buggy Boogie Iona Rae, VocalistSomeday (from the Hunchback of Notre Dame)

The British School Al Khubairat (Jonathan Lyall, music teacher and coordinator) Senior Brass Ensemble (Dhani Miller, Liam Milton-Mc Gurk, Ross Canning, Sawsan Khalaf, Benjamin Harvey, Glen Murrell-Young, Nathan West, Kamil Sumansky, Lewan Yazici, Calum Cromey-Hawke) Variations on Frere Jacques

Chamber String Ensemble1st Violins (Amber Lyall, Zeena Beale, Holly West, Nathan West, Sultan Kara)

2nd Violins (Jennifer Willbond, Thomas Mueller, Anila Rais, Summer Abdel Kareem) Violas (Caitlin Wallace, Zainab Majid, Miss Rachel Barton)Cellos (Ashley Hughes, Rana Mandour, Mia Clausin, Miss Laura Chapple)

Various pieces

The Center Edu Care (Mrs Irina Zakharovaira, music teacher and coordinator)Wesley Dubreuil, pianoWalvoglein - H.HofmanDiana Mahfouz, piano Preludio - ZipoliArthur Hemdat, pianoVolynca - J.S BachMia Clausin, pianoAndante in B flat - MozartSanjay Jahn, pianoSonata in A - D. ScarlattiHady Mahfouz, pianoBlues WWW - Brian BonsonJean Prouvost, guitarEl condor pasa - Daniel RoblesRodney Fakhry, guitarLe Ruisseau - Paul Gerrits

42 43

BiographyLondon Philharmonic Orchestra

In the 2007/08 season, the London Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates its seventy-fifth birthday, inaugurates Vladimir Jurowski as its new Principal Conductor and moves back into its splendidly restored home, Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall on the River Thames in the heart of London’s cultural quarter

Seventy-five years on from Sir Thomas Beecham’s establishment of the ensemble in October 1932, the London Philharmonic Orchestra is recognised as one of the world’s great orchestras Following Beecham’s founding tenure the ensemble’s Principal Conductorship has been passed from one celebrated musician to another: amongst them Eduard van Beinum, Sir Adrian Boult, Sir John Pritchard, Sir Georg Solti, Bernard Haitink, Klaus Tennstedt and Kurt Masur

The London Philharmonic Orchestra is the only symphony orchestra in the UK to combine an annual subscription concert season with regular work in the opera house Since 1992 it has been resident at the Royal Festival Hall, and since 1964 has performed each summer in the pit at Glyndebourne Festival Opera, also enjoying residencies in the nearby south coast towns of Brighton and Eastbourne Annual London concert seasons not only attract some of the great instrumental and vocal soloists of our time, but also include a wide variety of performance formats and musical styles including regular Family and Schools’ Concerts and screenings of silent

films with live orchestral accompaniment A commitment to new music sees regular commissions and world-première performances, with a current focus on the work of Composer-in-Residence Mark-Anthony Turnage

In 1965 the London Philharmonic Orchestra became the first British orchestra to appear in Soviet Russia and in 1973 visited China – the first ever visit to the country by a Western orchestra Touring continues to form a significant part of the Orchestra’s performing schedule, and it regularly appears in North America, Europe and the Far East, often headlining at major festivals and concert-hall openings As a counterpoint to its travels, the Orchestra’s membership has itself benefited from increased migratory freedoms, growing to include outstandingly talented musicians of varying world nationalities from Brazilian to Hungarian

The London Philharmonic Orchestra has long been embraced by the recording, broadcasting and film industries It enjoys strong relationships with major record labels and in 2005 began releasing live, studio and archive recordings on its own label CDs which are distributed worldwide The Orchestra has broadcast regularly on domestic and international television and radio from both the concert hall and the opera house, and has worked extensively with both Hollywood and the UK film industries, recording soundtracks for

blockbuster motion pictures including the Oscar-winning score for The Lord of the Rings trilogy and scores for Lawrence of Arabia, The Mission, East is East and In the Name of the Father

As it embarks upon its seventy-fifth season, the London Philharmonic Orchestra has an international reputation matched by a steadfast and unflinching commitment to the communities of its local London boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham The Orchestra reaches thousands of Londoners through its varied and extensive programme of education work, both community and school-based, which includes the acclaimed offshoot ensembles Renga and the Open Ear Orchestra Education activities also nurture budding excellence, and in 2005 the Orchestra launched its apprenticeship scheme for outstanding young instrumentalists, Future Firsts, who benefit from a year of mentoring and performance opportunities

The ongoing exploration of new technologies, performance formats and dialogues with local and international audiences and communities will see thousands more given the opportunity to experience the Orchestra’s work in this anniversary year through both participatory music-making and live orchestral performances of the highest standards

Elite Music InstituteHuda Fadel, violinDenis Mankovtsev, guitarYasmine Hamadullah, piano

Abu Dhabi Indian SchoolChirandeep Singh, tablaShruti Premlal, tampooraSylvester D’Souza, guitar

Marielle Rivet’s performing studentMariam Al Askari, piano

SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES VISITS BY PERFORMING ARTISTS

Participating schools and universities• The Higher College of Technology

(ADWC, ADMC)• Zayed University - Abu Dhabi• The United Arab Emirates University of

Al Ain• The Abu Dhabi Indian School• The Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for

Girls

Please note: At time of printing, locations were still being determined. Please check with Festival Staff for updated information.

23 March11 30 am to 12 30 pm The London Philharmonic Orchestra wind ensemble to perform at The Higher College of Technology (ADWC)

23 March1 00 pm - 2 00 pm Khaled Selim and members of his orchestra to lecture and performance in school / university (location TBA)

26 March1 00 pm Bolshoi Orchestra /Ballet Unique open rehearsal at Emirates Palace (with all the schools and universities participating)

27 March 11 00 am Open Ballet Class A fascinating glimpse into the behind the scenes of a ballet company, watching the ballet company rehearse, warm up and exercise at the cultural foundation (with all the schools and universities participating). At the Cultural Foundation

30 March10 00 am Hiba Al Kawas to lecture in school or university (location TBA)

30 March11 00 am to 12 00 pm Sarah Chang to lecture and perform in school / university (location TBA)30 March11 00 am to 12 00 pm Elina Garanca to lecture and perform with Karel Chichon and Erwin Schrott in school / university (location TBA)

31 MarchNaseer Shamma to lecture and perform at The United Arab Emirates University of Al Ain

31 March12 00 pm - 1 00 pm Naseer Shamma with Oriental Orchestra : unique open rehearsal at Emirates Palace (with all the schools and universities participating)

31 March3 00 pm Sarah Chang (Violin) / Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra / Karel Mark Chichon (Conductor): unique open rehearsal at Emirates Palace (with all the schools and universities participating)


44 4�

E flat ClarinetEmma Canavan

Soprano SaxophoneMartin Robertson

BassoonsJohn Price PrincipalGareth NewmanSimon Estell

Contra BassoonSimon Estell Principal

HornsPhillip Eastop Guest PrincipalGareth MollisonChristopher ParkesChair supported byDavid and Victoria Graham FullerMartin HobbsNeil Shewan

TrumpetsPaul Beniston* PrincipalAnne McAneney*Chair supported byGeoff and Meg MannNicholas Betts* Co-PrincipalDavid Hilton

TrombonesMark Templeton* PrincipalDavid Whitehouse

Bass TromboneDavid Vines

TubaLee Tsarmaklis Principal

TimpaniSimon Carrington* Principal

PercussionAndrew Barclay* PrincipalKeith MillarJeremy CornesSam WaltonChristopher Guy

HarpsRachel Masters* Principal

Piano / CelesteCatherine Edwards

*Holds a professorial appointment in London+Chevalier of the Brazilian Order of Rio Branco

Chair SupportersThe London Philharmonic Orchestra also acknowledges the following chair supporters whose player is not present at this concert:Simon Yates and Kevin Roon

Chief Executive and Artistic DirectorTimothy Walker AMSupported by Macquarie Bank

General Manager and Finance DirectorCameron Poole

Concerts DirectorMatthew Todd

Artistic AdministratorRuth Sansom

Touring ManagerChristine Cummings

Concerts and Tours AssistantHattie Jordan

Education and Community DirectorTabby Estell

Development DirectorEmma O’Connell

International Business Development DirectorMo Carrington

Marketing DirectorKath Trout

Orchestra Personnel ManagerAndrew Chenery

Orchestra Personnel AssistantHannah Tucker

Stage ManagerMichael Pattison

LibrarianRichard Payne

MusiciansLondon Philharmonic Orchestra (continued)

MusiciansLondon Philharmonic Orchestra (continued)

London Philharmonic OrchestraPatronHRH The Duke of Kent KG

Principal ConductorVladimir JurowskiSupported by Aviva plc

Principal Guest ConductorYannick Nézet-Séguin

LeaderBoris Garlitsky

Composer in ResidenceMark-Anthony Turnage

First ViolinsBoris Garlitsky LeaderPieter Schoeman Co-LeaderVesselin Gellev Sub-LeaderTina GruenbergKatalin VarnagyCatherine CraigThomas EisnerMartin HöhmannChair supported byRichard Karl GoeltzJohn KitchenGeoffrey LynnRobert PoolSarah StreatfeildJoanne ChenYang ZhangPeter NallAlain Petitclerc

Second ViolinsClare Duckworth Principal

Jeongmin KimJoseph MaherKate BirchallChair supported by David and Victoria Graham FullerNancy ElanFiona HighamNynke HijlkemaMarie-Anne MairesseAshley StevensAndrew ThurgoodSioni WilliamsHeather BadkeAlison StrangePeter Graham

ViolasAlexander Zemtsov* PrincipalRobert Duncan Anthony ByrneChair supported by Mr and Mrs J A KesslerKatharine LeekSusanne MartensLaura VallejoDaniel CornfordAlistair ScahillMartin FennSarah MalcolmMiranda DavisClaudio Cavalletti

CellosSusanne Beer PrincipalFrancis BucknallLaura DonoghueSantiago Sabino Carvalho+Jonathan AylingGregory Walmsley

Sue SutherleySusanna RiddellRosie BanksThomas Roff

Double BassesKevin Rundell* PrincipalPaul Kimber Co-PrincipalLaurence LovelleGeorge PenistonRichard LewisKenneth GoodeMatthew Coman Roger Linley

FlutesSusan Thomas* PrincipalSiobhan GrealyStewart McIlwham*

PiccoloStewart McIlwham* Principal

OboesIan Hardwick PrincipalAngela TennickDaniel Bates

Cor AnglaisSue Bohling PrincipalChair supported byMr and Mrs Julian Simmonds

ClarinetsNicholas Carpenter PrincipalEmily Sutcliffe

Bass ClarinetPaul Richards

46 4�

BiographyBolshoi Ballet

The history of the Bolshoi began over two hundred years ago in 1776 The first permanent theatre company in Moscow was established by Prince Peter Urussov, Public Prosecutor in Catherine II’s imperial government and a passionate lover of theatre, together with an ex-acrobat Englishman called Michael Maddox In 1780, Prince Urussov, having undertaken to construct an edifice «of which the external ornamentation will contribute to the beauty of the city», built a theatre in Petrovsky Street where the company performed drama, opera and ballet Twenty-five years later; the building was razed to the ground in one of the fires common in Moscow at that period Performances were now staged at a variety of venues throughout the city until January 1825 when the magnificent new Classical-style Petrovsky Theatre was opened Designed by architects Ossip Bovet and Andrei Mikhailov, the building was fronted by eight Doric columns, its portico surmounted by a bronze Apollo driving his four-horse chariot The drama company now moved to the newly opened Maly Theatre while the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theatre devoted itself to the production of opera and ballet At this stage, the ballet company was comprised of just 47 dancers In 1853, fire again destroyed the interior of the theatre and the building was restored by the Venetian architect Alberto Cavos, son of the composer Caterino Cavos and

grandfather of Alexander Benois The Bolshoi again opened its doors to the public in 1856

Early choreographersThe first ballets to be produced were by the great French and Italian ballet masters such as Filippo Beccari, the Morelli brothers and Jean Lamirat Before long, however, young Russian choreographers such as Adam Gluchovsky took over, concentrating on ballets with Russian themes From 1820-1830 the company, now expanded to 150 dancers, developed in the French tradition under the influence of Felicite-Virginie Hullin-Sor and Fanny Elssler who familiarised the Moscow public with the ballets of Jules Perrot The opera company, during the 1840s, staged the first productions of Glinka’s operas Ivan Susanin and Ruslan and Ludmila, works which marked the foundation of a truly national school of composition in Russia Of equal importance to the history of both ballet and opera was the legacy of Pyotr Tchaikovsky many of whose works received their first performance at the theatre These include the operas Eugene Onegin, The Queen of Spades and the ballet Swan Lake Because of the success of Marius Petipa in the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg in the second half of the 19th century, there followed a period of rivalry between the two companies A contrast became apparent between the dance styles favoured by the

two cities, Moscow and St Petersburg This disparity was exemplified by Petipa’s new ballet Don Quixote which received its premiere in Moscow on 26 December 1869 in a boldly conceived, colourful production which, when restaged in St Petersburg two years later; was transformed into a far more classically conceived work Alexander Gorsky, Petipa’s assistant and pupil, was appointed to the Bolshoi Theatre in 1900 and from then on until his death in 1924, he revised the company’s stagings of the basic repertoire, making them more dramatic and realistic and laying the foundations for the company’s great future successes His colossal impact on the Bolshoi productions continued into the Soviet’ period with choreographers as recent as George Balanchine admitting to having been influenced by him Under Alexander Gorsky, the company would find its true identity Adhering to the naturalist principles of the great theatre director Konstantin Stanislavsky, he created several original ballets that included Notre-Dome de Paris in 1902 by Victor Hugo and Salammbo in 1910 after Flaubert’s novel In 1900, he brought back into the repertoire Petipa’s Don Quixote, followed by the Coppelia of Saint-Leon in 1901, La Fille mal gardee in 1903, Swan Lake and Giselle in 191 I, Le Corsaire in 1912 and La Bayadere in 1917

BMW-Official Car of the BolshoiShell-Official Sponsor of the BolshoiMarriott Moscow Royal Aurora-Official Hotel of the BolshoiBank of Moscow-Partners of the Bolshoi

General sponsor of the Bolshoi Theatre

MusiciansSaeed Kamal & Orchestra

Saeed Kamal, conductor Tamer Kamel Eldeen, violin Mustafa Helmi Amin, violinMohammed Ismail Al Moji, violin Ahmed Zein Al Abdeen, violin Ahmed Atef Abdul Hamid, violin Ahmed Kamal Darwish, violin Ashraf Said Rajab, violin Hazem Ibrahim Al Asabji, violin Mustafa Al Sayed Abdullah, violin Ahmed Kamal Zaki, violin Yasser Taha, celloMahmoud Ahmed Budair, cello Ahmed Amin, counter bassSaber Abdul Satar, qanoon soloist

Hani Al Badri, flute soloist Mahmoud Mohammed Budair, org soloist Mohammed Abdullah, piano, keyboard Mustafa Aslan, lead guitar Rafeeq Toufiq, base guitar Wajdi Fouad, drums Haitham Fargali, tambourine Ahmed Al Eyadi, drums Mohammed Abu Al Haddid, daffEssam Juma, choral Nasser Ahmed Hassan, choral Manal Mahmoud, choralHoda Ahmed, choral Samar Majdi, choral

4� 4�

The Bolshoi BalletGeneral Director of the Bolshoi TheatreAnatoly Iksanov

Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Bolshoi TheatreAlexander Vedernikov

Artistic Director of the Bolshoi BalletAlexei Ratmansky

Head of the Touring Division and Tour DirectorElena Perfilova

Administrative Director of the Ballet CompanyGennady Yanin

Head of Press DepartmentKaterina Novikova

Tour ManagerEkaterina Valieva

DoctorElena Lisitsina

Manager of the Ballet CompanyLarisa Zhiltsova

CoachesMarina KondratievaElena Bukanova

Stage ManagerVladimir Shcherbakov

PianistMarina Rudneva

MasseurYury Gorbunov

Head of Production DepartmentSergey Timonin

Stage HandsSoslan MargievAlexander AbbakumovAnatoly VoronovMaxim KrupennikovDmitry MarkitesovAlexey Chuvalnikov

PropsAlexander KostyuchenkoTamara Bit-BayroAndrey Egorchev

Lighting DesignerAlexander RubtsovMikhail Sokolov

Lighting TechniciansAlexandra GolubkinaLeonid GerasimovMark Stavtsev

Follow SpotsEkaterina Treshchalina

Special EffectsVladimir DubininNikita Smolov

Make-UpLiudmila MileninaTatiana BabiyakLidia ShcherbakovaNatalia Pianova

Deputy Head of Wardrobe DepartmentDaniil Aldoshin

Female WardrobeNatalia ZinovievaElena NikulinaNatalia Koroleva

Male WardrobeRashid AlimovLiudmila NaumovaGalina Samoletova

Bolshoi Ballet PrincipalsSvetlana Lunkina

Leading SoloistsElena AndrienkoAnastasia GoryachevaEkaterina ShipulinaRuslan SkvortsovArtem ShpilevskiyAlexander Volchkov

First SoloistsMorihiro IwataDenis Medvedev

SoloistsMaria VolodinaAnna LeonovaAnna NikulinaAnna RebetskayaIrina SemirechenskayaAndrey Sitnikov

Dancers & Touring CompanyBolshoi Ballet (continued)

BiographyBolshoi Ballet (continued)

Soviet eraFollowing the October Revolution in 1917, Moscow became the capital of the new Soviet Union and debate raged as to the function of the arts within a Socialist society Left-wing critics demanded the removal from the repertoire of works by bourgeois composers such as Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov in a mission to educate the public with new ideas However more moderate voices prevailed and, during the early Soviet period, traditional nineteenth-century operas and ballets were performed alongside contemporary works Alexander Gorsky was charged with the task of re-organising the company Vassily Tikhomirov succeeded Gorsky as Director of Ballet in 1924 and was instrumental in developing the Bolshoi style during the next decades Outstanding amongst Bolshoi soloists at this time were the ballerinas Olga Lepeshinskaya and Marina Semyonova who were trained in St Petersburg but enjoyed their greatest successes in Moscow

War years and first visit outside RussiaWith the invasion of Russia by German forces in 1941, the Bolshoi Ballet and Opera were evacuated to Kuibyshev on the Volga where they remained until August 1943 The Ballet was now under the charge of Leonid Lavrovsky who was faced with the monumental task of re-establishing the company during the post-war years of deprivation and reconstruction In 1945, Prokofiev’s new ballet Cinderella received its first performance with Olga

Lepeshinskaya in the title-role and nine years later, the same composer’s The Stone Flower was given its world premiere One of Lavrovsky’s most significant achievements was to administer the Bolshoi Ballet’s first appearance in the West at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1956 followed a year later by a visit to New York British audiences were given their first opportunity to witness the virtuosity and dramatic intensity of the Soviet choreographic style A particular triumph was enjoyed by the legendary ballerina, Galina Ulanova She was succeeded as the Bolshoi’s prima ballerina by Maya Plisetskaya for whom choreographers such as Petit, Bejart and Alberto Alonso created roles

Post-war choreographers,dancers and orchestraLavrovsky continued as Director of Ballet until 1964 when he was succeeded as Chief Choreographer and Artistic Director by Yuri Grigorovich whose early years at the Bolshoi were characterized by a series of large-scale, highly spectacular productions typified by his 1968 revision of Khachaturian’s epic ballet Spartacus Grigorovich served as Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer from 1964-1995 He turned ballets such as Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Le Corsaire and Raymonda into grand heroic spectacle Maya Plisetskaya, Natalia Bessmertnova, Vladimir Vasiliev, Ekaterina Maximova and Maris Liepa were among the great principal dancers in his company

In 1995, Vladimir Vasiliev took over as Artistic Director with Alexei Fadeyechev as Director of Ballet from 1998-2000 Anatoly Iksanov succeeded Vasiliev, and Boris Akimov was named Artistic Director of the Bolshoi in the year 2000 followed by Alexei Ratmansky at the beginning of 2004 As well as the glories of its dancers and singers, the Bolshoi Theatre also boasts an orchestra worthy to be compared with any of the world’s greatest symphony orchestras Throughout its long history it has been directed by some of Russia’s greatest conductors including Nikolai Golovanov, Yury Faier, Alexander Melik-Pashayev, Boris Khaikin, Evgeny Svetlanov, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, Mstislav Rostropovich and Mark Ermler In 2001 Alexander Vedernikov took a position of the Bolshoi Music Director and Chief Conductor Today the Bolshoi is considered the principal national theatre in the Russian Federation employing three thousand people including its famed opera company and a ballet company of more than 200 dancers A second hall was inaugurated in November 2002 In September 2005, the reconstruction of the main stage of The Bolshoi Theatre historical building began The Bolshoi Theatre plans to restart its normal work on both stages in season 2008-2009 Today’s Bolshoi Theatre combines a pride in its artistic heritage which it is determined to maintain with an awareness that it must grow and develop to prosper in today’s rapidly changing world

�0 �1

BiographyThe Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia

The Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra is the oldest orchestra in Russia and one of the world`s largest symphony orchestras It was founded in 1776 when the Company, which put a start to the future Bolshoi Theatre, was formed According to a decree of Catherine II, the opera orchestra was to incorporate 35 musicians

It was made up of serf musicians bought by the Treasury from their landowner-masters, of foreigners and other free people The Orchestra took part in all the Theatre`s musical dramas and opera productions

Gradually its repertoire was expanded: following operas and ballets by Alyabiev, Verstovsky and Varlamov, the works of Glinka, later by Serov, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Borodin, Rymsky-Korsakov and Glazunov were staged at the Bolshoi and played by its Orchestra From the 1830`s, the Orchestra began to give performances of well known European operas by Mozart, Cherubini, Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, Weber, later by Verdi, Wagner, Bizet, Gounod and Puccini

From the end of the last century, the Orchestra started to give symphony concerts and these were to play a major role in the development of its professional skills The two years – 1904-1906 – that Rachmaninov was conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra saw considerable reorganization of the Orchestra Rachmaninov`s activities resulted in a re-assessment of the role and place of the orchestra in opera and ballet

productions and the key importance of the Orchestra in musical theatre came to be acknowledged

The twenties and thirties of the present century witnessed a new stage in the creative evolution of the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra Over this period, the best players in the country joined the Orchestra which became the Soviet Union’s most authoritative collective of performing musicians and the center of the capital’s musical life

Many outstanding Russian conductors have appeared with the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra These include: Rachmaninov, Suk, Golovanov, Pazovsky, Samosud, Melik-Pashaev, Haykin, Svetlanov, Rozhdestvensky, Simonov, Lazarev and Ermler In 2001, Maestro Alexander Vedernikov was appointed Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre When appearing with the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, the distinguished foreign conductors – Bruno Walter, Oscar Fried, Albert Coates, Fritz Stiedry, Zdenek Khalabala, G Abendrot, Riccardo Muti - never failed to remark on the Orchestra’s high professional level

Today, the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra has about 300 members Among them are many first class musicians who often perform as soloists and members of ensembles in concert halls in this country and abroad In the Orchestra too are international competition prize-winners and People`s or Merited Artists of Russia Many of the older

generation of musicians are professors at the Moscow Conservatoire and the Gnessin Academy of Music, and a lot of the young players in the Orchestra are their pupils This style is distinguished by the striking, full-blooded sound of the string quintet, the filigree work of the wood-wind and the brilliance and power of the brass

The Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra has made numerous recordings of operas, ballets and symphonic works many of which have received widespread international recognition and high awards

The Bolshoi Orchestra tours extensively both in Russia and abroad In addition to taking part in opera and ballet performances on these tours, it also gives symphony concerts It was during the Bolshoi Theatre Opera Company’s 1964 tour (its first) to Milan, that the Theatre`s Orchestra gave its first symphony concerts abroad Ever since, most of the Bolshoi Theatre Opera and Ballet Company tours have included symphony concerts in their programs, this quite apart from the independent performances given by the Orchestra in the USA, Germany, Japan, Great Britain, France, Italy, Greece and elsewhere

In 1989, the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra was awarded Italy`s highest music prize, the “Golden Viotti” medal, as best orchestra of the year Over the years, the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra has won international acclaim due to its participation in Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Company tours as well

DancersBolshoi Ballet (continued3)

Corps De BalletTamara AbakeliaKarim AbdullinChinara AlizadeEkaterina AntonovaNino AsatianiVladimir AvdeevBatyr AnnadurdyevSergey AntonovAnna BaranovaYury BaranovEkaterina BarykinaAlesya BoykoYulia ChichevaSvetlana GnedovaEvgeny GolovinYulia GrebenshchikovaLiudmila ErmakovaAlexander FadeechevNatalia FokinaPetr KazmirukElena KazakovaDenis KapralovElena Kasiyanova

Egor KhromushinVictor KleynOlga KlypinaAnton KondratovAnna KoblovaAnton KuznetsovTatiana KurilkinaKonstantin KuzminVladislav LantratovVictoria LitvinovaNatalia LomakinaYulia LunkinaSofia LyubimovaIlona MatsiyDmitry MelaninSergey MinakovNuriya NagimovaAnna NakhapetovaKirill NikitinNatalia NovikovaVictoria OsipovaMaxim OppengeymZakhar PotapovGalina Potdykova

Ivan PrazdnikovApollinary ProskurninMaria ProrvichAndrey RybakovSvetlana RudenkoElena SaurovaAnton SavichevEvgeny SazonovIvan SemirechenskiyRoman SimachevKsenia SorokinaAnastasia StashkevichDmitry StarshinovAnna TatarovaOlga TubalovaAnastasia ShilovaArtem VakhtinMaria VinogradovaVodopetov AlexanderVorokhobko DariaIlya VorontsovMarina ZakharovaMikhail Zarubin

�2 �3

Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra

First ViolinsInna LiAlexey LukirskiyVladimir SklyarevskiyIrina PetukhovaDagmara KalashkovaLiubov KalashnikovaKirill FilatovDina VolkovaEkaterina ButakovaLada MalykhinaRoman DenisovAnton ManamshiyanAnastasia KondakovaOlga Kharitonova

Second ViolinsRoman YanchishinVladimir KozhemyakoEvgenia AstakhovaYury TyurinAndrey VolkovAnastasia LukirskayaVictor SedovMaxim MuchkinAlsu ParshinaAnna RashinaVera AlekseevaNatalia Shevtsova

ViolasVladimir YarovoyAlexander BalashovAlexander PetrovLarisa PoltoratskayaNatalia SablinaElena VasilievaAnfisa Podkovyrkina Liudmila GromovaIrina LakshinaDiana Kuznetsova

CellosDmitry SurikovBoris LifanovskiyLev NeuchevVladimir StreltsovSvetlana SergeevaVictor ShameevMikhail TroitskiyDaniil Men

Double BassesGennady BorisovAnton KrylovNikolay GorshkovYaroslav LobovPavel SablinVladimir Gusev

FlutesGalina ErmanMaria VolkovaElena Mitrofanova

OboesAlexander KrylovEvgeny AleshinVladislav Komissarchuk

ClarinetsSergey PetrovNikolay VaraksinVladimir Khachikyan

BassoonsAlexey BazhalkinTalgat SarsembaevAlexander Shalin

KeyboardsVladimir Chukhnov

HarpsAlla KorolevaNina Ryabchinenko

French HornsAlexey RaevAlexey KanarevViacheslav TaranAlexander Andrusik

TrumpetsAlexey KornilievAndrey IkovKirill YakushevAlexander Skvortsov

TrombonesEvgeny NesterenkoSergey AlyudinMaxim Tarasov

TubaAlexander Kazachenkov

PercussionSergey SolovievMikhail DunaevAnatoly KurashovFilipp PanyushkinSergey Vetrov

Orchestra DirectorAlexander Shanin

Orchestra ManagerEvgenia Shchukina

LibrarianMarina Tsareva

Musical Instruments SuperviserAlexander Svibilskiy

Orchestra PorterGayar Abdryakhimov

Musicians & Touring CompanyThe Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia

BiographyThe Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia

as to its appearances on the concert platform In 2003, following the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra and Chorus tour to Spain and Portugal, critics commented that the Orchestra had “once again lived up to the reputation for excellence it had acquired over the years…”; “the program was specially chosen to demonstrate the energy which causes Tchaikovsky and Borodin’s music to go right to the heart…”; “This Tchaikovsky work was beautifully played and here no small credit is due to Alexander Vedernikov who retained its original musical style ” In February 2007 the Bolshoi Orchestra played in Germany (Munich’s “Philarmonie im Gasteig” and Alte Oper Frankfurt) with great success At the Big Hall of the Conservatoire, the

Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, conducted by Alexander Vedernikov, has given concerts celebrating the Berlioz 200th, Mravinsky 100th, Sviridov 90th and Shostakovich 100th anniversaries; also at the Conservatoire, the Theatre Orchestra and Chorus played excerpts from the operas of Richard Wagner (soloists – Waltraud Meier, Christopher Ventris, Pavlo Hunka), Verdi’s Requiem, Brukner’s Symphony N 9 and Te Deum (conductor – Guenter Herbig), Mozart’s Symphonies N 35 and N 40 and concert arias (conductor – Leopold Hager, soloist – Ruth Ziesak) At the Bolshoi Theatre New Stage, Zoltan Peshko conducted the Orchestra in a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No 5; and, at the same venue, it was conducted by Alexander Vedernikov

in performances of the following works: Brahms’s Symphony No 1 and Piano Concerto No 2 (soloist Nikolay Lugansky); the Vino aria and excerpts from Berg’s Wozzeck (soloist - Angela Denoke) and Richard Strauss’s Symphonic poem Don Quixote

Mariss Jansons, Miklail Pletnev, Jiri Belohlavek will conduct the Bolshoi Orchestra in the nearest future Maestro Yuri Temirkanov will be Principal Guest Conductor of the Bolshoi Orchestra since season 2007-2008

�4 ��

MusiciansOriental Orchestra

Oud

Nihad Al Sayed Shereen Al Tahami Mustafa SaeedAlaa ShaheenAlaa Medhat Yousef Ahmed humaid AbbasMohammed Abu Zekra Ashraf Awad Humaid AwadEbtisam Eid ShabayekBassem Al Yousfi Rajaa KahelGilan Abdul latif Ibrahim Afan Ali Daud Yousef Darwish Mena JamalMohammed Saeed Mohammed Mohammed Kamal Eldeen Tabbara Faisal Ahmed MubarakAli Obaid Rashed Eyad Nayef Al Khaldi

Oud bass

Naji Naji

Qanoon

Saber Abdul Sattar Bassam Abdul Sattar Mohammed Saleh Aliaa Abu Al Eineen Ali Shaker Omar Ziad

Hiba Mahmoud Marwa Mahmoud Mstafa Kamal

Flute

Mamdouh Suroor Mohammed Ibrahim Kola Rami Shamroukh Leith Faisal Sulaiman Amro Al Tehewi Ahmed Khairi Amal Al Hinawi Mohammed Faraj Mohammed Atef

Saz

Juan Al Ali Adnan Koake Yassmine Fathi Mohammed Yehia Abdullah Abu Zekra Amal Saad

Base

Amro MustafaAhmed Ali Al Sayed Khaled Abu Hejazi

Joze

Anwar AbudraghAnwar Abd Daoud

Santor

Wesam Ayoub Abed Qassem Hinderin Hekmat

Lyra

Ross Daly Kyriaki Thoma Zacharias Spyridakis

Kamancha

Derya TurkanBita Ghasemi Sirkan Halili

Tanbur

Murat Aydemir

Other instruments

Dahlia Mess (Erhu)Hua Xia (Pepa)Dimitrios Sideris (Lawto)Siamak Aghaei (Bass ghitchak)Efstratios Psaradellis (Lavta)Haroun Koak (Zareb)Kokhan FilsmanRisolo Glu Farqan

Biography & MusiciansLithuanian Chamber Orchestra

Founded in 1960 by Prof Saulius Sondeckis (Artistic Director and Chief Conductor, 1960–2004) the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra (LCO) is recognised as one of the finest and most internationally acclaimed Lithuanian orchestras The LCO was the first among Lithuanian orchestras to make its debut in the West at the Echternach Festival in Luxembourg in 1976, which embarked them on an international career and new possibilities … The Orchestra today it is on an up close to stratospheric! Already in the first half of the concert there was a sparkle in the orchestra, but in the second half they were really tempestuous. The final movement of a piece was totally amazing, from a slow start reaching a blistering pace, with dynamics like I have rarely heard from this orchestra, and, it seemed, having enormous fun with it…Music and Life – Everywhere! 2006 (Lithuania) The Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra has toured almost every European country, North and South Americas, Japan, Egypt, and the Republic of South Africa The audiences have applauded the LCO at the Berlin Philharmonic, Musikverein in Vienna, Royal Festival in London, Santa Cecilia in Rome, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Pleyel Hall in Paris, Gewandhaus in Leipzig and at many other famous concert halls in Europe They have repeatedly appeared with Mstislav Rostropovitch, Yuri Bashmet, Gidon Kremer, Vladimir Spivakov, Tatyana Grindenko, Igor Oistrakh, Yevgeny Kissin, David Geringas and Yehudi Menuhin, Julian Rachlin, Misha Maisky, Vadim Repin, Denis Shapovalov among many others

With its rendering of the light and vigorous opus by Mozart, the orchestra once again presented itself for the audience as an orchestra well versed in the secrets of the highest mastery, able to create stylish and lively interpretations. The interpretation of the symphony is worthy of superlatives only! Playing without a conductor, the orchestra was as precise as a perfectly geared mechanism. Yet, a mechanism is inanimate, while the performance of the orchestra’s musicians was noted for fresh breathing, tasteful articulation, and fascinated us with filigree intonations, flexible dynamics and meaningful phrasing...7 meno dienos, 2006 (Lithuania) During almost five decades of its illustrious career, the LCO has collaborated closely with many famous soloists, conductors and choirs in numerous performances and on more than 100 recordings of diverse repertoire, with a special affinity for the works of Bach and Mozart The Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra has also given a number of world premieres of works by many celebrated composers, including Alfred Schnittke, Arvo Pärt and Pēteris Vasks, who have dedicated their works to the Orchestra

... Thanks to the performers’ clear articulation, each sound in Joseph Haydn’s roulades became as if crystalline, clear and transparent, with delicate dynamic lining. The orchestra’s ensemble quality and excellent teamwork created an impression of one performer, one body consisting of a multitude of individual cells, playing on stage…Muzikos barai, 2005 (Lithuania)

Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra

ViolinsEugenijus Urbonas Žilvinas Malikėnas Algirdas Paukštė Vilja Breivienė Vida Tankevičienė Silvija Maceikaitė Irma Bakševičienė Dalia Suraučiūtė Gotoveckienė Vilija Pranskienė Vaida Paukštienė Paulius Biveinis Algirdas DekšnysInga Gylytė

Violas Petras Radzevičius Algimantas Nemanis Ramūnas Zakaras Žilvinas Švelnys

CellosDainius PalšauskasGediminas DerusAlgirdas StraižysVytautas Galvydis

Double Basses Vytautas JacunskasVilimantas Martinėnas

HarpsichordSkaistė Palšauskienė

ManagerEgidijus Mikšys

�6 ��

Hiba Al-Kawas was born in Saida, Lebanon on the 17th of July 1972 She graduated from the Lebanese University with a degree in Experimental Sciences and a Bachelor Degree in Clinical Psychology She followed this with a Masters Degree in Operatic Chant with high distinction from the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory and a Master’s Degree in Music Composition and studies in Musicology She has also prepared her final studies for a Diploma in Piano She was awarded a special scholarship from the Academia di Chiggiana di Sienna in Italy where she did high studies in Opera Singing with the famous Tenor, Carlo Bergonzi and Composition with Maestro Franco Donatoni

Mrs Al Kawas is currently a member of the board at the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory and a professor of Opera Chant, and Composition there She is a Committee member of The Lebanese National Symphony Orchestra She is also a professor at the Lebanese University and is the Academic & Music Coordinator at the Teachers’ Training College for Music in Beirut and a member of the High National Committee of Music at UNESCO, and a member of the National Committee of UNESCO for the Sciences, Education and Culture Also she is a member of the Intellectual Property-International Chamber of Commerce

Mrs Al Kawas has recorded 21 works of her own composition with the Dnepropetrovsk Symphony Orchestra-Ukraine under the direction of Viascheslav Blenov and 10 works with The Academy of Krakow Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Wojciech Czepiel She has also recorded 13 works with The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine and the National Choir of Kiev conducted by Vladimir Sirenko

Since her first concert at the age of six, Hiba has thrilled audiences in Lebanon, Syria, UAE, Cairo, Tunis, Bahrain, London, Paris, Italy, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Portugal, and Amsterdam with many, many concert performances

In the year 2000 she was chosen to participate as a composer by the Krakow Contemporary Composition Festival where the Krakow chamber Orchestra played her composition, Aspiration No 1 conducted by Wojceich Czepiel Her symphonic work, Pleusis No 1, a composition of three movements was dedicated to Mrs Nazik Al Hariri, as a gesture of recognition for her support and patronage, it was played for the first time by the Lebanese National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Harout Fazelian Recently Mrs Al Kawas was invited for the second time by the Polish composer’s association and Krakow Contemporary Composition Festival, where her latest composition “Moments in Krakow” was played as a “world premiere” by the Symphony Orchestra of Krakow Academy of Music conducted by Wojceich Czepiel

Hiba Al Kawas has composed an Orchestral work, ”Baina Nahrain” upon the request of Al Jazeera TV on July 2004 She performed at the opening ceremony of Tyr festival/Lebanon and Al-Medina Festival in Tunis

Mrs Al Kawas gave several lectures at the University of Amsterdam, as well as she was commissioned to compose a piece which has been played by New Ensemble at Gaudeamus music week whereas she has been selected among the top world composers

Biography

HIBA AL KAWAS, soprano/composer

In the Memory of the Lebanese Late P M Rafic El Hariri, Mrs Al Kawas presented a work of her composition written for Voice, Choir and Symphony Orchestra, titled “Salam Al Hourriyyah” poetry by Nada El Hage, this composition was also produced as a musical Film by Milad Tawq

Mrs Al Kawas has composed for Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, String Orchestra, Various ensembles, Piano and Songs In her compositions she gave a role to the traditional Arabic instruments to play as a part of the Symphony Orchestra Mrs Al Kawas’ composition experience is combining the Oriental-Arabic music components with international composition techniques, bridging between Oriental-Arabic music, classical and neo classical form with contemporary music

Hiba Al Kawas has established a career in Lebanon and the Arab world in bringing into existence the Arabic Opera Her practical work led her to the Arabic Operatic song, rather (Aria in Arabic), she accomplished the new Vocal procedure where she was able to find the proper position of the voice to hold the Arabic letter preserving the Arabic pronunciation and Arabic singing tradition Using Operatic vocal techniques in an adapted way can allow the singer to use his/her voice as a supreme musical instrument On November 30, 2006, Hiba Al Kawas has performed along with Jose Carreras in Dubai at the 2nd anniversary of the Dubai International financial Centre –DIFC- accompanied by the London Sinfonia Orchestra Hiba has in addition to performing songs of her own musical composition, performed a duet with Jose Carreras “All I Ask of You” taken from the Phantom of the Opera Al Kawas musical composition “Pleusis 1” has been played by the London Sinfonia as well

On Jan 22nd 2007 Hiba Al Kawas received the Decoration of HRH Sultan Qabous, The Golden Sultan Qabous Order for Culture, Science and Art On Feb 19th Mrs Al Kawas sang from her composition in the presence of President Jacque Chirac at IDMA in Paris, dedicating one of her composition songs to President Chirac and the Soul of P M Rafic Hariri The song is 0 Liban soit sauvé! the poetry by Mrs Nada El Hage

In Sep Mrs Al Kawas Recorded two works of her composition with The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, conducted by Vladimir Sirenko

On Oct 14th 2007, Mrs Al Kawas’ new creation “Rou’ia Fi Maa” was played at Opera National De Paris- Bastille; it was commissioned by Festival d’automne for contemporary music, especially for the occasion “Rou’ia Fi Maa” was performed by Neuwe Ensemble of Amsterdam and herself as a Soprano This work is a contemporary composition that is divided in five music and three Singing Fragments that are based on Arabic poems by Nada El Hage

On Nov 2007 a musical short movie “Noor” on Hiba Al Kawas new composition Asra Biqalbi was produced A song based on a poem by H E Abdel Aziz Khoja Asra Biqalbi and other works are composed to be a World Premiere at Abu Dhabi Music Festival Creating the Arabic Opera remains Hiba Al Kawas’s main dream

Cello playing is at the centre of Matthew Barley’s career, while his musical world has virtually no geographical, social or stylistic boundaries After training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Moscow Conservatoire, Matthew’s activities in performance, improvisation, cross-disciplinary projects, composition, and pioneering community programmes soon developed to form a uniquely eclectic international career The best representation of this career so far was Matthew’s marathon UK tour, On the Road, in 2006 playing 20 recitals and giving 17 workshops in 30 days The venues ranged from prestigious concert halls, to a prison, a school for terminally ill children, and a vegetarian cafe The programme included improvisation, core classical music, contemporary music with electronics, and a new piece by DJ Bee and Barley for cello with computer and midi-pedal board! The tour was a huge critical and audience success with many sold-out houses

Matthew made an early London concerto debut playing the Shostakovich Cello Concerto in the Barbican Hall with the London Symphony Orchestra, as finalist of the LSO-Shell Competition Since then his solo and chamber music engagements have taken him to nearly 50 countries, performing repertoire ranging from Bach to his own compositions, music written for him and improvisation Matthew’s concerto engagements include the BBC Philharmonic and BBC Scottish Symphony (Hazlewood), BBC Concert, Gürzenich (Markus Stenz), Royal Scottish National (Marin Alsop), Czech Philharmonic (Caballe-Domenech), New Zealand Symphony (Tan Dun), London Sinfonietta, Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia, Brno Philharmonic, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Buenos Aires Philharmonic, Georges Enescu Philharmonic, and Athens Kamerata Recent recital appearances include the Wigmore Hall, St George’s Bristol, Seoul’s Kumho Hall, as well as the Krakow, Lucerne, City of London, Spitalfields, Istanbul, Prague Autumn, Hong Kong, St Magnus in Orkney, Harrogate, Lichfield, Salisbury, Cheltenham, Dijon, Koshigaya, WOMAD, New Zealand and London Jazz festivals

His Europe-wide tour with the Netherlands Dans Theatre, as on-stage soloist in Brett Dean’s cello and electronics score for Jiri Kylian’s ballet One of a Kind, took him to 5 different countries with 17 performances including London Sadler’s Wells, Montpellier Danse Festival, and The Hague’s Dans Theater

Matthew’s passion for new music has led him to premiere works, many of them his commissions, by Detlev Glanert, Peter Wiegold, Fraser Trainer, Rand Steiger, John Metcalfe, John Woolrich, Dimitri Smirnov, Carl Vine, Katsuhiro Tsubono and Deidre Gribben

Matthew Barley’s non-classical collaborations include Django Bates, Julian Joseph, Davud Azad, DJ Bee, Talvin Singh, Temple of Sound and Ross Daly, appearing in venues ranging from Ronnie Scotts to the South Bank Centre Matthew also masterminded and performed in a major project for violinist Viktoria Mullova, Through the Looking Glass The project was performed in a 27-concert worldwide tour, and the recording, produced by Matthew, was released by Philips Classics in 2000 Matthew’s ongoing collaboration with star Indian sarod player Amjad Ali Khan, has resulted in duo recitals at London’s Royal Festival Hall (2000 and 2002), at the 2003 WOMAD Festivals in Adelaide (Australia), Wellington (New Zealand) and Reading (UK), at the St Denis Festival in Paris, as well as in Calcutta and Mumbai in India They will soon be performing Amjad Ali Khan’s double concerto for Sarod and Cello with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Matthew’s first recital disc, “Reminding”, featuring Soviet music for cello and piano, was released on Quartz in September 2005 Previous recording projects include “The Silver Swan” (Black Box) and “Strings Attached” (Navras) “The Silver Swan” features repertoire ranging from plainchant to Bach, Bizet and Arvo Pärt, arranged by Matthew for multi-track cello, creating an extraordinary consort effect 2Strings Attached” is a collaboration with sarod players Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan It was recorded live in concerts at London’s Festival Hall and in Calcutta, and is also available as a DVD

Musicians & Touring CompanyHiba Al Kawas

Co- Organizing, HKI

Hiba Al Kawas, Soprano / Composer

Guitar Soloist Jose Maria Gallardo Del ReyConductor, Wojciech CzepielOud Andre El HageDuff Ali Al KhateebKatem Walid NasserMazhar/Tar Farid Bou Saiid

Advisor & Press Attaché Nada El HageExecutive Producer/Event Manager Pierre SarrafSound Engineer Jerry EadeLight Designer Fouad Haddad

Ms Al Kawas Costume Designer Zouheir MuradMs Al Kawas Hair Stylist Simon MendelekMs Al Kawas Makeup Artist Najat Bou Yazbik (Institute Bassam Fattouh)Photographer Nabil Ismaiil

Biography

MATTHEW BARLEY, cello

��

roles Grigorovich’s favorite was that of the warrior leader Nurali, famous for his part in the last act of The Fountain of Bakhchisarai But even in his formative years, Grigorovich was keen to try his hand at choreography In 1956, he was allowed to arrange a ballet to Glinka’s Valse-Fantasie for a graduation performance at the Kirov School His first major choreographic work, undertaken despite the fact that another version already existed in Moscow, was The Stone Flower, set to the Prokofiev score It was first performed at the Kirov on April 27, 1957, and marked the first collaboration between Grigorovich and the artist Simon Virsaladze, a man of great culture from Tbilisi, who was to design all of Grigorovich’s subsequent ballets In addition to their working partnership, they also were the greatest of friends, a relationship that was only broken by Virsaladze’s death in 1989, at the age of 80

Grigorovich was named ballet master at the Kirov in 1962 but subsequently transferred to Moscow and to the Bolshoi in 1964 He was artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet for the following 30 years, a tenure in ballet rivaled only by the founding director of the New York City Ballet, George Balanchine

During Grigorovich’s term at the Bolshoi, he staged Spartacus to music by Khachaturian (1968); Ivan the Terrible to Prokofiev (Moscow, 1975; Paris, 1977); Angara to Eshpai (1876); Romeo and Juliet to Prokofiev (Paris, 1978; Moscow, 1979); and The Golden Age to Shostakovich (1982) Grigorovich also revised classical masterpieces for the Bolshoi Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty (1963), Nutcracker (1966), and Swan Lake (1969) to Tchaikovsky; Raymonda to Glazunov (1984); La Fille Mal Gardée (1993) to Hertel; and Don Quixote (1995) to Minkus Spartacus, with its HollywoodLike Khachaturian score, stymied several choreographers before Grigorovich made what has now become his signature work In creating it, he used a formula that has served him well in many other productions—he divided the action between group effects and intimate scenes, which he calls tableaux The love duets in Spartacus are seen in beautiful contrast to the Roman orgies or the marching battalions A similar formula was used for Ivan the Terrible, a difficult subject, yet one made viable, in Grigorovich’s version, because the character of Ivan is viewed with sympathy and understanding For The Golden Age, Grigorovich evokes the corrupt bourgeoisie and gallant youth in the Russia of the 1920s Grigorovich has staged his works around the world, including in the cities of Ankara, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Milan, Paris, Prague, Rome, Sofia, Stockholm, Vienna, and Warsaw He is the Honorable President of the Dance Committee of UNESCO’s International Theater Institute, president of the International Ballet Association, president of the Benois de la Danse Jury, and president of the International Ballet Competitions in Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Switzerland, and Japan Yuri Grigorovi ch is also a professor at the Russian Ballet Academy

Biography

ANATOLY IKSANOV, general director, Bolshoi Theatre

Anatoly Iksanov graduated from the Leningrad State Institute of Theatre, Music and Cinematography, faculty of theatre science (department of economy and organization of theatre management) From 1977 till 1978 Mr Iksanov

worked as a senior manager in the Leningrad Maly Drama Theatre and later in 1978-1983 took the same position in the Leningrad Bolshoi Drama Theatre named after Maxim Gorky From 1983 till 1996 Mr Iksanov held the post of the Deputy Director of the Leningrad Bolshoi Drama Theatre, where in 1996 he was appointed the Director of the Theatre In 1994 Anatoly Iksanov organised a Charity Foundation of the Bolshoi Drama Theatre and became its Executive Director

From 1998 till 2000 Anatoly Iksanov was the Deputy General Director of the “Culture” TV Channel He studied foreign experience in the field of art management, worked on probation in the theatres of the USA, France, Switzerland

In co-authorship Mr Iksanov wrote two books: “How to fund-raise for the culture” (St Petersburg, 1995) and “The Charity Foundation of the Bolshoi Drama Theatre Theory and Practice of Success” (St Petersburg, 1997)

In accordance with the Order of the Chairperson of the Government of the Russian Federation on 1 September 2000 Mr Iksanov was appointed the General Director of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia

Biography

MORIHIRO IWATA, first soloist, Bolshoi Ballet

Born in Yokohama (Japan) He started his choreographic training at the Ivata-ballet school, under his father, Kauci Ivata From 1990-91, he continued his studies at the Moscow Ballet School in Alexander Bondarenko’s class From 1991-95, he was soloist with the Russian Ballet Company led by Vyacheslav Gordeyev He joined the Bolshoi Theatre in 1995 His repertoire includes: the Little Golden God (La Bayadère), The Chinese Doll (The Nutracker), The Fool (Romeo and Juliet, Leonid Lavrovsky’s version), Title role and Little Grape (Cipollino, G Mayorov), The Jester and Friend to Prince (Swan Lake), Title role (The Humpbacked Horse, N Androsov), Interpolated pas de deux (Giselle, Yuri Grigorovich version), The Horseman (Polovtsian Dances by Kasyan Goleyzovsky from the opera Prince Igor), A Monkey (La Fille du Pharaon, Pierre Lacotte), Harlequin (Fantasy on the theme of Casanova, Mikhail Lavrovsky), Phylostrat/Puck (The Midsummer Night’s Dream by Neumeier) Created roles of Ivashka (Bolt by Ratmansky, 2005), The Peruvian (Gaité Parisienne by Massine, 2005, in Bolshoi), solo part in Jeu de Cartes (by Ratmansky, 2005)

He rehearses with Boris Akimov

In 2004 took part in New Choreography Workshop, dancing the solo part in Hungarian Dances by Alexei Miroshnichenko, in 2005 he starred the New Choreography Workshop like dancer and choreographer with his own ballet, Tamashi

He won 3rd prize at the Jackson Ballet Dancers’ Competition (1990); the Grand Prix at the Arabesque Ballet Dancers’ Competition in Perm (1992); 1st prize at the Ballet Dancers’ Competition in Moscow (1993)

Biography

ANNA LEONOVA, soloist, Bolshoi Ballet

Graduated from: Moscow Ballet School, G Sokolova’s class, and Moscow Institute of Choreography (1999) as a “teacher-choreographer” Joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company in 1995 till 1999, then in 2001 In 1999-2001 – she was the leading soloist at Imperial Russian Ballet Repertory includes: Mirthe (Giselle), Street dancer (Don Quixote), Polish and Hungarian Brides-to-be (Swan Lake), Effi (La Sylphide), Mazurka (Les Sylphides (Chopiniana), Russian and Spanish Dolls (The Nutcracker), Soloist (“Jeu de Cartes”), Soloist (“Serenade”), Soloist (“Class-Concert”) Repertory also includes: Not Pas de quatre (Bolshoi Theatre Workshop, 2004) She is coached by Svetlana Adyrkhaeva

Biography

SVETLANA LUNKINA, principal dancer, Bolshoi Ballet

Born in Moscow On graduating in 1997 from the Moscow Ballet School (teacher – Marina Leonova), she was invited to join the Bolshoi Theatre Ballet Company During her first year in the Company performed the principal part in the ballet “Giselle” Her repertory includes: Odette-Odile and Russian Bride-to-be (Swan Lake), Princess Aurore (The Sleeping Beauty) – Y Grigorovich’s version; Kitri (Don Quixote), title role in Anyuta (by V Vasiliev); Frigia (Spartacus by Y Grigorovich); solo parts in Symphony in С (choreographed by G Balanchine), L’apres midi d’un faune (choreographed by J Robbins), Passacaille (by R Petit); Walts No 7 and Prelude (Chopiniana, choreographed by M Fokine), Aspicia (La Fille du Pharaon by P Lacotte), Passion (Les Présages, choreography by Léonide Massine)

She created roles: Lisa (La Dame de Pique by R Petit, 2001), Esmeralda (Notre-Dame de Paris by R Petit, 2003, at the Bolshoi), Glove seller (Gaîté Parisienne, choreography by Léonide Massine, 2005, at the Bolshoi), Zina (The Bright Stream by Alexei Ratmansky), Nikiya (La Bayadere, choreography by M Petipa), Lisa (La Fille Mal Gardee by F Ashton), Mary (Nutcracker by Y Grigorovich), Soloist (Misericordes by C Wildon), Soloist (Serenade by G Balanchine), Medora (Le Corsaire by M Petipa, new choreography by A Ratmansky and Y Burlaka)

In 1998 took part in International Ballet Festival, dedicated to 50th anniversary of National Ballet of Cuba Company In 2002 took part together with Sergey Filin in enterprise Malakhov and friends in Japan Took part twice in gala concerts held in the frame of the project Stars of the 21st century (New York, Toronto, partner Dmitry Gudanov) In 2004 again took part together with Dmitry Gudanov in the concert of the Stars of the 21st century (Paris, Theatre of Champs-Elysees) In 2003 performed with Andrey Uvarov in the ballet Swan Lake in Belgrade with the ballet of National Theatre of Belgrade

Acted as a Russian terrorist in the film Saint-Petersburg – Cannes Express together with famous Russia actors (Film Company Miracle Entertainment, 2003) Winner of the Triumph Youth (2001)

Matthew’s pioneering approach to education, community music and training orchestral players is now internationally renowned His work as a trainer of orchestral players, which focuses on the use of improvisation and interactive performance in the context of the orchestra’s outreach and education activities, has included the Philharmonia, LPO, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Melbourne and Sydney Symphonies, Tampere Philharmonic (Finland), Brussels Opera and Malaysia Philharmonic orchestras, as well as the Nyyd Ensemble in Estonia and the Sun City Ensemble in Japan In education Matthew has led major projects all around the world with enormous success working in this area very closely with the British Council

In 1997 Matthew founded Between the Notes, a performance and education group who work with music and other arts BTN has been involved in major projects at the Lichfield Festival (The Titanic in 1997 and Journeys in 1998 - Journeys was also made into a documentary by the National Film and Television School), which consisted of ten days of workshops involving up to 50 teenagers, culminating in a public performance as part of the festival’s main programme They have appeared at the Sydney Opera House, London’s Royal Opera House (with the Royal Ballet), the International Symposium of Contemporary Music in Hong Kong, and on tour in Bangladesh, Cyprus (in the basketball stadium to 4000 people with 1000 performers to mark the occasion of Cyprus joining the EU), Greece, Spain, Germany (performances in the Cologne Philharmonic of Fraser Trainer’s concerto for BTN and orchestra), Norway, Croatia, Singapore, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Belgium The group has just led Invisible Lines, a nationwide education and performance culminating in a performance in the Royal Albert Hall at the BBC Proms, recorded live on BBC TV Their first album, “Knots” (Quartz), has been released in May 2005, and the second, “Extraordinary Improvisations” (FMR) in June 2007Future plans for Matthew include concertos with the BBC Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, and Alabama Symphony, an extensive tour of Sweden with the On the Road programme, a return to Australia, and a residency at the prestigious new venue Kings Place in London Future collaborations include projects with Lyons City Opera, Matthias Goerne, Martin Frost and Thomas Larcher (for the Messaien Festival in Köln 2008), Viktoria Mullova, Amjad Ali Khan, pipe player Kathryn Tickell, Jon Lord (Deep Purple) and jazz pianist Julian Joseph Matthew will be recording for Signum Records, and is also going to be the Music Director, and the ‘face of’ a major new television series to be aired on BBC 2 in Autumn 2007

Biographies

BOLSHOI BALLET and THEATRE ORCHESTRA

Biography

ELENA ANDRIENKO, leading soloist, Bolshoi Ballet

Born in Kiev Trained at the Kiev College of Choreography In 1991, on graduating from the Moscow College of Choreography (Sophia Golovkina’s class), she joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company Her roles include: Odette-Odile and Friend to Prince (Swan Lake), Gamzatti and Variations in the Shades scene (La Bayadere), The Princess-Swan (Swan Lake, Vladimir Vassiliev version), Kitri (Don Quixote), Sylphide and Effie (La Sylphide); Marie (The Nutcracker), Rita (The Golden Age) and Shireen (Legend of Love); Magnolia (Cipollino) and Title Role (Snow White); Katerina (The Taming of the Shrew), solo parts in Agon and Symphony in C, Ramze (La Fille du Pharaon), The Classical Ballerina (The Bright Stream) Creator: Popovna (Balda, by V Vassiliev), Neva (La Fille du Pharaon, by P Lacotte), Spring (Cinderella, by Yu Posokhov)

Biography

ANASTASIA GORYACHEVA, leading soloist, Bolshoi Ballet

Graduated from the Moscow Ballet School (Tatyana Galtseva class) Joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company: in 1998 Repertoire includes: Marie (The Nutcracker), title roles (La Sylphide and Giselle), Lise (La Fille mal gardée), Helena (The Midsummer Night Dream), The Neapolitan Bride-to-be and Friend to Prince (Swan Lake), Diamond Fairy (The Sleeping Beauty), Cupid (Don Quixote), The Little Radish (Cipollino), solo part in Symphony in C (Part 1) and Tarantella, Pas d’Action (La Fille du Pharaon), (Le Corsaire) She also performs in: Mazurka (Les Sylphides), Pas de deux from Flower Festival in Genzano, Hungarian Dances (New Choreography Workshop, 2004) Guest performances include Kitry (Don Quixote) and Princess Aurora (The Sleeping Beauty) with Georgian Ballet Company, Tbilisi She was the pupil of Raisa Struchkova, now she is trained by Ludmila Semenyaka Awards: The Moscow Debuts prize (1999), Soul of Dance prize awarded by Ballet magazine (2002)

Biography

YURI GRIGOROVICH, choreographer, Bolshoi Ballet

Yuri Grigorovich is considered to be one of the greatest living choreographers in the world of ballet His stagings of the classic ballets reflect his personal taste and his often-stated conviction that drama must always infuse and be expressed through dancing He breaks with tradition, yet he himself is rooted in the traditions of classic ballet, by birth and upbringing He is acutely aware of the vital contributions made to today’s performances by the great artists of previous generations On all of the Bolshoi’s tours, the dancers have been accompanied by guardians of the classic school—ballerinas such as Marina Semyonova (born 1908), Galina Ulanova (1910–1998), and Raissa Struchkova (born 1925, who continues to tour with the company)

These artists were and continue to be entrusted with the coaching of young ballerinas, and even established dancers return for their help and advice

Yuri Nikolaevich Grigorovich was born in what was then Leningrad on January 2, 1927 His uncle, George Rozai, was a character dancer who appeared with Diaghilev’s Ballet Russe and his mother, Klaudia Rozai, trained at the ballet school with Semyonova Many of his family were circus artists and young Yuri was fascinated by the world of the circus, but was soon captivated by dance He describes it as “a love affair that has lasted all my life ” Grigorovich trained at the Leningrad Choreographic School and, along with the other pupils, was evacuated to Perm during World War II

He tried to run away (by canoe!) to the front but was brought back and eventually graduated in 1946 He then joined the Kirov Ballet, where he excelled in character

Biography

DENIS MEDVEDEV, first soloist, Bolshoi Ballet

Born in Moscow On graduating in 1994 from the Moscow Ballet School (Pyotr Korogodsky’s class), he joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company He is coached by Valery Lagunov

His repertory includes the following roles: The Golden Idol (La Bayadere), The Jester (Swan Lake), Pas de Deux (Giselle), Pas d’action (Giselle, V Vasiliev version), Casanova (Fantasy on the Theme of Casanova by Lavrovsky), Cipollino (Cipollino by G Mayorov); The Humpbacked Horse (The Humpbacked Horse by N Androsov); The Chinese Doll and Harlequin (The Nutcracker), Shepherd (Spartacus) and Compere (The Golden Age) by Y Grigorovich; The Jester (Romeo and Juliet, choreography by L Lavrovsky), Friend to Prince (Swan Lake, V Vasiliev’s version), Passiphonte and Pas d’Action (La Fille du Pharaon by P Lacotte), Colas and Alain (La Fille Mal Gardee, choreography by F Ashton), Philostrat (A midsummer Night’s Dream by J Neumeier), The Peruvian (Gaîté Parisienne, choreography by Léonide Massine), Friend to Prince (Cinderella by Yu Possokhov), solo parts in Tarantella (choreography by G Balanchine), Magrittomania (by Y Possokhov)

He created role: Tybald (Romeo and Juliet by D Donnellan and R Poklitaru, 2003), Postmaster (Ward №6 by R Poklitaru), solo part in Jeu de Cartes by Ratmansky, 2005 In 2003 he starred in ballet movie Edith Piaf (choreography by Mikhail Lavrovsky); in 2004 performed the title role in the ballet Nijinsky by Mikhail Lavrovsky The same year he performed the role of James (La Sylphide) at the 10th Nureev’s Ballet Festival in Ufa Awards: 3rd prize of Arabesque-96 Ballet Competition in Perm (1996) and Grand prix of Prix de Luxembourg Ballet Competition (1997)

Biography

ANNA NIKULINA, soloist, Bolshoi Ballet,

Born in Moscow In 2002, upon graduation from the Moscow Ballet School (teacher – Elena Vatulya), she joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company She is coached by Ekaterina Maximova In 2004, at the age of 19, she first appeared as Odette-Odile in Swan Lake by P Tchaikovsky (second version by Yury Grigorovich with choreographic fragments by M Gorsky, L Ivanov, A Gorsky)

Her repertory includes: Four Sylphides (“La Sylphide”), second variation in the Shades scene (“La Bayadere”), a part in Passacaille by R Petit, Friends of Giselle, Two Willis (Giselle, choreographic version by Y Grigorovich), Fairy of Audacity (“The Sleeping Beauty”), “two couples” in the III part (“Symphony in C” by G Balanchine), Magnolia (“Cipollino” by G Mayorov), the final waltz and apotheosis (“The Nutcracker”), Congo (“The Pharaoh’s Daughter”), Friends of Shireen (“A Legend of Love”), three swans (“Swan Lake”), Henriette (“Raymonda”), Temptation (“Les Presages” by L Massine), Luska (“Golden Age”), Friend of the Prince (“Swan Lake”), Mistress of the Dryads (“Don Quixote”), Soloist (“Jeu de Cartes”), Mary (“Nutcracker”), Soloist (“Class-Concert”), Summer (“Cinderella”)

In 2004, she took part in New Choreography Workshop of the Bolshoi Theatre, where she appeared as Aurora in pas de quatre “Rosary” by R Drigo from “Flora’s Awakening” (M Petipa, revived by Y Burlaki), and pas de quatre “Carpets” from “The Little Humpbacked Horse” by C Pugni (A Gorsky, revived by Y Burlaki) In 2004, she was awarded a youth grant of the “Triumph” prize

60 61

Biography

ARTEM SHPILEVSKY, leading soloist, Bolshoi Ballet

Born in St Petersburg On graduating from the Vaganova Ballet School, joined the Mariinsky Ballet Company In 2000, he joined the Universal Ballet Company Oleg Vinogradov as soloist; in 2002 – Staatsoper Unter den Linden, in 2003 – Staatsballet Berlin as first soloist

His repertoire includes the roles in following ballets: La Bayadere, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Don Quixote Repertoire in Berlin includes: Swan Lake, Giselle, The Nutcracker (by Patris Bart), La Bayadere, Cinderella (by Vladimir Malakhov), Onegin (by John Cranko), Ein Lindentraum… (by Uwe Scholz), Ballet Imperial, Apollo (by George Balanchine), this- (by Christian Spuck), Ring um den Ring (by Maurice Bejart), Manon (by Kenneth MacMillan)

In 2006 he joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company as leading soloist His repertoire with the Bolshoi includes the following parts: Prince Siegfried and Evil Genius (Swan Lake), Prince Desire (The Sleeping Beauty), Toreador (Don Quixote), Baron (Gaité Parisienne), Torero (Carmen Suite), solo parts in Balanchine’s Symphony in C, Concerto Barocco and Serenade

Biography

ANDREY SITNIKOV, soloist, Bolshoi Ballet

Born in Bolshoi Ballet’s dancers’ family In 1978 graduated from Moscow Ballet School and joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company

His extensive repertoire includes: The King (The Sleeping Beauty), Lancedem (Le Corsaire), The Great Brahmin and Dugmanta (La Bayadere), The Tutor and Master of Ceremonies (The Swan Lake), The Duke (Giselle), King Andrei II and The Seneschal (Raymonda; Don Quixote and Lorenzo (Don Quixote), Dr Stalbaum (The Nutcracker by Y Grigorovich), His Highness (Anyuta by V Vasiliev), Capuletti (Romeo and Juliet by L Lavrovsky), The Pharaoh (La Fille du Pharaon by P Lacott), Toma (La Fille Mal Guardee), Klaus (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Factory Director (Bolt by A Ratmansky), The Duke (Gaîté Parisienne, choreography by Léonide Massine) He created the role of Nachman (Leah by A Ratmansky)

Biography

RUSLAN SKVORTSOV, leading soloist, Bolshoi Ballet

Born in the town of Eltse, Lipetsk region On graduating from the Moscow Ballet School in 1998 he joined the Bolshoi Ballet where he works with Valery Lagunov and Nikolay Fadeechev His repertory includes Prince Siegfrid (Swan Lake), Jean de Brienne (Raymonda), Prince Fortune (The Sleeping Beauty); solo parts in Chopiniana, Agon, Symphony in C, Magrittomania; Count Cherry (Cipollino); Friend to Ferkhad (Legend of Love), Boris (The Golden Age); The Classical Dancer (The Bright Stream); Frollo (Notre-Dame De Paris), Taor and A Fisherman (La Fille du Pharaon), The Miller (Le Tricorne), The Hero (Les Presages), Demetrius (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) Created one of solo parts in Misericordes 3rd prize-winner at the Moscow International Ballet Competition (2000)

Biography

PAVEL SOROKIN, conductor

Pavel Sorokin was born in Moscow He graduated from the Central Music School attached to the Moscow Conservatoire (piano section) in 1980 and in the same year entered the Conservatoire (the piano section, Professor L N Naumov’s class) At the same time, he started to study conducting in Professor Y I Simonov’s class In 1983 he joined the Bolshoi Theatre in the capacity of ballet orchestra leader From 1987 to 1989 he studied conducting at the Paris Conservatoire in Professor Jean-Sebastian Berrault’s class In the summer of 1989, he took part in the Boston Symphony Orchestra Tanglewood Festival He studied under Serge Osawa and Leonard Bernstein At the end of his studies in Paris, having been given an excellent certificate, he auditioned for the Bolshoi Theatre and was accepted into the company He is conductor of the following ballets: Prokofiev’s Prodigal Son and Stravinsky’s Petrouchka (1991), Le Corsaire (1992, 1994), La Sylphide (1994), Balda to music by Shostakovich (1999), Swan Lake (2001), A Legend of Love (2002), The Bright Stream (2003), Raymonda (2003), Bolt (2005), Carmen-suitу (2005); and of the opera Iolantа (1997) He was assistant to Mstislav Rostropovich on the 1996 production of Khovanshchina The conductor’s repertoire includes the following, among other, operas: The Tsar’s Bride, The Queen of Spades, Prince Igor, Un Ballo in maschera, Macbeth, War and Peace, ballet Spartacus

From 2000-2002, Pavel Sorokin was chief conductor of the Radio and Television State Symphony Orchestra Since 2003, he has been chief conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Russia

His discography includes recordings of the works of Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Grieg, with the Academic Symphony Orchestra, the Moscow State Philarmonia, and the Radio and Television State Symphony Orchestra

Biography

ALEXANDER VEDERNIKOV, music director and chief conductor, Bolshoi Theatre

Alexander Vedernikov was appointed Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre in 2001 and since that time he has been credited with rebuilding the Theatre’s historical reputation for artistic excellence He has led many productions at the Bolshoi, including a new production of Boris Godunov in the original Mussorgsky orchestrations (2007), Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin (2006), Puccini’s Turandot (2006), Prokofiev’s Cinderella (2006), Prokofiev’s War and Peace (2005/2006), Leonid Desyatnikov’s The Children of Rosenthal (world premiere, commissioned by the Bolshoi Theatre), The Flying Dutchman (2004), Prokofiev’s The Fiery Angel (2004), Ruslan and Ludmila (2003), Turandot (2002), Khovanshchina (2002) and Adriana Lecouvreur (2002)

Alexander Vedernikov has in recent years also developed the Bolshoi’s programme of symphony concerts, and his concerts have featured Prokofiev’s Cinderella, Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust, Verdi’s Requiem, scenes from the operas of Wagner, and music by Richard Strauss, Alban Berg, Dmitry Shostakovich, and Georgy Sviridov Under his direction, the orchestra of the Bolshoi has toured extensively including a tour to Germany in February 2007 and a season of opera and ballet at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in July 2006 (including The Fiery Angel and Boris Godounov) where the orchestra in particular was singled out for its exceptional playing

Apart from a successful career in Russia, he has also been invited to perform extensively throughout Europe and further afield including appearances with the Staatskapelle Dresden, Montreal Symphony, Sydney Symphony, Tokyo Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the RAI National Orchestra (Turin), the Danish National Symphony Orchestra/DR, Bergen Philharmonic, Budapest Symphony and the Orchestra of the Teatro Colon

In the 2006/07 season his engagements included invitations to the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Bayerischer Rundfunk Orchestra (at Mariss Janssons’ personal request), Maggio Musicale Florence, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana (with Martha Argerich at the Martha Argerich Project in Lugano), Netherlands Philharmonic, Stockholm Philharmonic, Gothenburg Symphony, Hamburg Philharmonic, and symphonic programmes with the orchestras of the Teatro Comunale Florence and Teatro Comunale Cagliari

In the field of opera, Alexander Vedernikov has appeared as guest conductor at La Scala Milan, La Fenice, the Teatro Comunale Bologna, the Teatro Reggio Turin, and Rome Opera In April 2005, he made his debut at the Bastille Opera in Paris conducting a new production of Boris Godunov directed by Francesca Zambello

Born in Moscow into a musical family - his father was a bass soloist at the Bolshoi and his mother a professor of organ at the Moscow Conservatoire - he studied at the Moscow Conservatoire and completed his postgraduate studies in 1990

From 1988-90, he worked at Moscow’s Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre From 1988-95, he was assistant to the chief conductor and second conductor of the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra (formerly Gosteleradio’s Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra), whom he accompanied on many tours in Russia, Austria, Germany, Greece, Turkey and Great Britain In 1995, he founded the Russian Philharmonia Symphony Orchestra and was Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of this orchestra until 2004 He has conducted Russia’s State Symphony Orchestra and the Academic Symphony Orchestra of the St Petersburg Philharmonic Since 2003, he has been a member of the conductors’ collegium of the Russian National Orchestra, with whom he has toured in France, Germany and the United States In January 2004, as part of the Russian National Orchestra’s tour of nine cities, Alexander Vedernikov made his debut at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Centre, Washington

Future invitations include debuts with the BBC Symphony, Sao Paolo Symphony and National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan, and re-invitations to the Danish National Symphony Orchestra/DR, the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, the orchestra of the Teatro Comunale Bologna, and the Gothenburg Symphony

Biography

ALEXEI RATMANSKY, artistic director, Bolshoi Ballet

Born in Leningrad On graduating from the Moscow Ballet School (1986, teachers – Pyotr Pestov, Anna Markeyeva), he joined the Kiev Shevchenko Theatre of Opera and Ballet as soloist where, from 1986-92 and 1995-97, he danced the lead roles in the following, among other, ballets: The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Giselle, Cinderella, La Fille mal gardee, Cipollino From 1992-5, he was soloist with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet (Canada), where he danced in ballets by George Balanchine, Frederick Ashton, Antony Tudor, John Neumeier, Rudi van Dantzig, Twyla Tharp and others He has made guest appearances with the Bolshoi Theatre, National Ballet of Quebec, Imperial Russian Ballet Theatre of Pantomime in Tivoli (Copenhagen) From 1997, he was soloist with Royal Danish Ballet where he appeared in the following ballets by August Bournonville: La Sylphide, Napoli or The Fisherman and His Bride, A Folk Tale, The Kermesse in Bruges, La Ventana; he also danced in Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote, George Balanchine’s Symphony in С and Jewels, Serge Lifar’s Suite en blanc, Jerome Robbins’ The Concert, Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, John Neumeier’s The Odyssey, Maurice Bejart’s Gaite Parisienne, Mats Ek’s Grass, N Duato’s Jardi tankat He has worked with the following choreographers: Mats Ek, Jiri Kylian, John Neumeier, Maurice Bejart, Peter Martins, Kevin O’Day, Stanton Welch He was the creator of roles in the following ballets: Reflections and Darkness Between Us by Mark Godden, Sweet Complaints, Refrain, Dominum, The Nomads by Tim Rushton, Shostakovich op 99 by Anna Laerkesen He partnered Maya Plisetskaya in Nijinsky’s ballet, L’Apres-midi d’un faune As soloist he was awarded the Vaslav Nijinsky prize at the Independent Diaghilev Ballet Competition in Moscow (1992)

From 1988-92, he studied at the Choreographers’ Faculty at The State Institute of Theatre Arts (GITIS) He is the author of over twenty ballets, among which are: A Fairy’s Kiss to music by Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky (1994) – Kiev Theatre of Opera and Ballet; The Charms of Mannerism to music by Richard Strauss (1997) – Postmodern-Theatre; Capriccio to music by Igor Stravinsky (1997) – Bolshoi Theatre; Dreams of Japan (1998, awarded the Golden Mask National Theatre prize) – Bolshoi Theatre and Postmodern-Theatre; A Fairy’s Kiss to music by Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky, Middle Duet to music by Y Hanon, A Poem of Ecstasy to music by Alexander Scriabin (1998) – all at the Mariinsky Theatre; Turandot’s Dream to music by Paul Hindemith, (2000) – Danish Royal Ballet; Flight to Budapest to music by Brahms, (2001) – International Ballet of Copenhagen (2001); Lea to music by Leonid Bernstein (2001) – Alexei Fadeyechev Theatre of Dance (Moscow); he has also mounted productions of the following ballets: The Nutcracker (2001) – Royal Danish Ballet (2001); Cinderella (2002) – The Mariinsky Theatre; Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird (2002) – Royal Swedish Ballet, D Shostakovich’s The Bright Stream – Bolshoi Theatre (2003), Saint-Saens’s Carnaval des Animaux (2003, San Fransisco Ballet), Anna Karenina to music by Schedrin (2004, Royal Danish Ballet), Leah to music by Bernstein – Bolshoi Theatre (2004), D Shostakovich’s Bolt – Bolshoi Theatre (2005), Anna Karenina to music by Schedrin (2004), Lithuanian Opera and Ballet theatres; 2007, Finnish National Ballet), Jeu De Cartes by Stravinsky – Bolshoi Theatre (2005), Russian Seasons to music by Desyatnikov – NYCB (2006)

Knight of the Order of the Danish Flag (2002) Awarded a Benois de la danse prize as the best choreographer (2005)

From 2004 – Artistic Director of Ballet of Bolshoi Theatre

Biography

ANNA REBETSKAYA, soloist, Bolshoi Ballet

Born in Moscow On completing her studies at the Moscow Ballet School (Ludmila Litavkina’s class) in 1995, she immediately joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company Her repertory includes several solo roles: Russian Brides-to-be (Swan Lake), Willis (Giselle), Fairy of Generosity and Maids of Honour (The Sleeping Beauty), Hungarian dance (Raymonda), manu (La Bayadere) – Y Grigorovich’s version; Juanitta (Don Quixote, A Fadeyechev’s version), Russian

Biography

EKATERINA SHIPULINA, leading soloist, Bolshoi Ballet

Born in Perm In 1998, having completed her studies at the Moscow Ballet School (Lyudmila Litavkma’s class), she joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company

Her repertoire include: Odette–Odile and the Polish Bride-to-be (Swan Lake), The Lilac Fairy, The Gold Fairy and The Sapphire Fairy (The Sleeping Beauty), Gamzatti, Shadows’ Pas de Trois and Grand pas (La Bayadere), Myrtha (Giselle), Kitry and The Mistress of the Dryads (Don Quixote), Queen of the Ball (Fantasy on the Theme of Casanova by Lavrovsky), Mazurka, Prelude and Waltz № 7 (Chopiniana by Fokine), The Fisherman’s Wife and Congo (La Fille du Pharaon), Magnolia and Countess Cherry (Cipollino by Mayorov), Esmeralda (Notre-Dame de Paris by Petit), The Classical Ballerina (The Bright Stream by Ratmansky), Aegina (Spartacus), Hermia (A Midsummer Night’s Dream by J Neumeier), title role (Cinderella), solo part in Agon and Symphony in C She created roles: Wife to the Heir Apparent (The Russian Hamlet by Eifman, 2000), solo part in Jeu de Cartes by Ratmansky, 2005; in Bolshoi solo part in Magrittomania (by Y Possokhov, 2004), Action (Les Présages, choreography by Léonide Massine), title role (Cinderella, choreography by Y Possokhov, 2006), Mekhmene Banu (Legende of Love, choreography by Y Grigorovich, 2007), Gulnara (Le Corsaire, choreography by M Petipa, revived by A Ratmansky and Y Burlaka, 2007), Soloist (Class Concert, choreography by M Messerer, 2007) She rehearses with Marina Kondratieva Awards: 2nd prize winner at the ballet dancers’ competition Prix de Luxembourg (1999) and Moscow International Ballet Competition (2001), winner of the Triumph youth prize (2002)

Biography

IRINA SEMIRECHENSKAYA, soloist, Bolshoi Ballet

Born in Dnepropetrovsk On graduating the Moscow Ballet School (Elena Ryabinkina’s class) in 1992 she joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company

Her repertoire includes: Hungarian Bride-to-be and Waltz (Swan Lake), Fairy of Sapphire and Generosity, Cinderella (The Sleeping Beauty), Henriette, Grand Pas and variation in Raymonda’s daydream (Raymonda), Shades’ Pas de trois and Grand Pas (La Bayadere); Street Dancer (Don Quixote), Mazurka (Chopiniana by M Fokine); the Indian Doll (The Nutcracker), Friend to Shirin and the Dancer (Legend of Love), title role (Anyuta by V Vasiliev), The Lady of One’s Heart and the Queen of the Ball (Fantasy on the theme of Casanova by M Lavrovsky), Magnolia (Cipollino by G Mayorov), , caryathid (La Fille du Pharaont), Gitel (Leah by A Ratmansky), Flower Girl (Gaîté Parisienne, choreography by Léonide Massine), Summer (Cinderella, by Y Possokhov) She rehearses with Rimma Karelskaya

and Spanish dolls (Nutcracker by Y Grigorovich), Zina’s friend (The Bright Stream by A Ratmansky), Pas d’action (La Fille du Pharaon by P Lacotte), Tobacco Girl (Carmen Suite by A Alonso), solo parts in Symphony in C, Agon and Mozartiana (choreography by G Balanchine), as well as in Bolero by Ratmansky, which she has rehearsed under the supervision of Rimma Karelskaya

In 2005 performed title role in Romeo and Juliet with Krasnoyarsk Ballet Company in S Bobrov’s production

Biography

SIMON VIRSALADZE, designer, Bolshoi Ballet

Simon Virsaladze has made invaluable contributions to Russian ballet First, he freed the stage for dance and built sets that were economical and figurative Second, he created an image motif for each production that links together all the acts In Swan Lake, this is the heraldic curtain that divides the two worlds—the ideal world of dreams and the world of earthly passions Between them, Virsaladze established barely perceptible transitions from

one world into the other He has also provided models for modern ballet costumes—light, convenient for dancing, yet precise reflections of the characters’ roles, the signs of the time, and the style of the age In addition, Virsaladze came up with original solutions for classical ballet costumes In Swan Lake, he dressed all of the brides-to-be similarly, but they are distinguished by details of their nationality so that each one of them acquires an identity of her own The costumes for all the characters in this ballet show great imagination, most apparent in the costume for the Evil Genius Virsaladze’s work is characterized by its own symphony of colors, just as the composer’s music varies the main themes Virsaladze also made brilliant designs for opera, theater, and the cinema His work remains an example and a source of inspiration for new generations of ballet designers

Biography

ALEXANDER VOLCHKOV, leading soloist, Bolshoi Ballet

Born in Moscow In 1997, completed his studies at the Moscow Ballet School and joined the Bolshoi Ballet, where, under the direction of Vladimir Nikonov he rehearsed and danced the following, among other, solo roles: Prince Siegfrid (Swan Lake), Jean de Brienne (Raymonda), Prince Desire (The Sleeping Beauty); Albrecht (Giselle); Nutcracker-Prince (Nutcracker), Ferkhad (Legend of Love), Сrassus (Spartacus), Boris (The Golden Age), Hanan (Leah), Lysander (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), The Hero (Les Présages); solo parts in Chopiniana; Symphony in C, Agon He created roles: Phoebus (Notre Dame de Paris), Paris (Romeo and Juliet by D Donnellan and R Poklitaru) Awards: 2nd prize at the International Ballet Competition in Kazan (2001)

Biography

MARIA VOLODINA, soloist, Bolshoi Ballet

Born in Moscow On graduating from the Moscow Ballet School in 1983 she joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company

Among her roles are: The Princess Mother (Swan Lake), The Queen Mother (The Sleeping Beauty), The White Dame, Countess Sibil and Mazurka (Raymonda); Bathilde (Giselle), Mercedes and the Spanish Dance (Don Quixote), Signora Capulet (Romeo and Juliet by L Lavrovsky), Mother of Leah (Leah by A Ratmansky), Mazurka and Krakoviak (Polish Ball in opera Ivan Susanin, choreography by R Zakharov), The Persian Girl (in opera Prince Igor, choreography by K Goleyzovsky)

62 63

Biography

KAREL MARK CHICHON, conductor

Hailed as one of today’s most exciting young conductors, Karel Mark Chichon was described by the New York Times as “A conductor of genius” and continues to thrill international audiences with his temperament, passion and musicianship He is Chief Conductor of the Graz Symphony Orchestra since 2006 and Conductor Emeritus of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra since 2007 He is also Principal Conductor of the European Sinfonietta and Artistic Director of the Gibraltar Philharmonic Society

Born in London in 1971, Chichon hails from Gibraltar He studied at the Royal Academy of Music (London) and was assistant conductor to Giuseppe Sinopoli and Valery Gergiev

He has worked with artists such as José Carreras, Montserrat Caballé, Grace Bumbry and Juan Diego Flórez

Chichon is a frequent guest conductor with leading orchestras throughout the world, which include the Vienna Symphony, Vienna Radio Symphony, English Chamber Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, Tiroler/Innsbruck Symphony, Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano & Trento, Norddeutsche Philharmonie, Halle Philharmonic, Lucerne Symphony, Israel Sinfonietta, Budapest Philharmonic, Seoul Philharmonic, China National Symphony, Shanghai Philharmonic and Singapore Symphony Since 2003 he has been a regular guest conductor with the English Chamber Orchestra, with whom he tours frequently

In 2004 he was invited by the Vienna Philharmonic to conduct concerts at their International Orchestra Institute in Salzburg and made highly successful return visits in 2005 and 2006

The 2007-2008 season will see his debut at Vienna Musikverein with the Graz Symphony, new productions of Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna Volksoper and Carmen at the Latvian National Opera/Bolshoi Theatre Moscow and his debut with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Russian National Orchestra, USB Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra and the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra He will also return to the Vienna Symphony, Vienna Radio Symphony (with José Cura), English Chamber Orchestra, Tiroler/Innsbruck Symphony, Seoul Philharmonic and Latvian National Symphony

Biography

WOJCIECH CZEPIEL, conductor

Wojciech Czepiel is a prominent Polish conductor of the middle generation He was born in Nowy Targ, southern Poland, in 1959 He started to take violin lessons from his father at the age of five Ten years later, as a member of the All Antico Orchestra of a secondary music school in Kraków, he won First Prize at the Herbert von Karajan Competition for Chamber Orchestras in Berlin He also had an opportunity to play under the Karajan’s baton In 1976, as a student of Antoni Cofalik, he won Fourth Prize at Zdzisław Janke National Violin Competition A year later he qualified to the semi-finals of the Henryk Wieniawski International Competition in Poznań He continued his studies with Kaja Danczowska at the Academy of Music in Kraków In 1979 he worked as a violinist in the Polish Chamber Orchestra and then studied conducting with Krzysztof Missona at the Kraków Academy (diploma with distinction in 1984)

Biography

JÓSE MARÍA GALLARDO DEL REY¸guitar

Jóse María Gallardo Del Rey’s performance career took off in the city of Seville at the early age of nine Since his debut and throughout his career, his worldwide performances drew acclamation and applause from critics and audiences alike

He is one of a handful of solo players who strive to enrich the genre of chamber music His interpretation, technique and perspective transcend the bounds of the classic guitar repertoire and the limitations imposed by the instrument Jóse María Gallardo Del Rey has frequently lent his talent to different performance arts such as Ballet, Theatre, Opera, Flamenco or Jazz

His extensive academic training allowed him to develop his talent both as a composer and as a conductor A distinguished conductor, Gallardo del Rey has conducted, among others, the Tellemann Chamber Orchestra of Osaka in the debut of Paco de Lucia in his performance of the Concierto de Aranjuez (Japan, May 1990)

He composed and interpreted the music of Alta Definición desde España, the official film of the Spanish Pavilion in World Exposition, EXPO ‘92

He is the musical director of the acclaimed chamber ensemble La Maestranza a septet with whom he performs his own compositions

He performs regularly with the mezzo soprano Teresa Berganza and transcribes, especially for her, an extensive variety of voice repertoire including Opera Arias from Mozart to Bizet He was invited to play alongside Menuhin, Rampal, Osawa and Elton John, in the celebration held in March 1997 for Rostropovich’s 70th birthday He performed with John Williams at the most prestigious International Guitar Festival in Australia (Darwin, 1995 & 1997)

Because of his acknowledged technical and interpretative talents, Gallardo Del Rey was invited to play in the opening performances of many concerts for Guitar and Orchestra In its recent edition, The Classical Guitar hailed Jóse María Gallardo Del Rey as guitarist of his generation

On the occasion of the centenary of the birth of Maestro Rodrigo, Gallardo Del Rey interpreted his guitar and orchestra concerts all around the world

Biography

ELINA GARANČA, mezzo-soprano

The young mezzo-soprano Elina Garanča has quickly established herself as one of the music world’s newest stars through her performances with leading opera theatres and symphony orchestras around the world She has captured critical and popular acclaim for her beautiful voice, intelligent musicianship, and compelling stage portrayals

Ms Garanča begins the 2007-08 season with her first performances of the title role in Carmen in her native Riga This same season she makes several important debuts including her first appearances with the Metropolitan Opera as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia; Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier with Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Adalgisa in Norma with the Bayerische Staatsoper Ms Garanča also returns to the Vienna Staatsoper for performances of Charlotte in Werther, Octavian, Adalgisa, and Rossini’s Rosina Concert appearances figure prominently in her season including performances as Roméo in Bellini’s I

He made his conducting debut in 1981 with the Chamber Orchestra of Krakow Music Academy In 1982-84 he worked as assistant conductor and leader of the Kraków Philharmonic Orchestra In 1984-86 he was Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Baltic Philharmonic in Gdańsk and between 1986 and 1990 worked as Conductor of the Warsaw Chamber Opera In 1990-1991, he was associated with the Artur Rubinstein Philharmonic in Łódź and 1991-1994 worked as Conductor and Vice-Artistic Director of the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Warsaw 1997-2006 he was Chief Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Kraków Music Academy Mr Czepiel has made numerous archive recordings for Polish radio, Deusche Welle as well as various labels such as Arts,Dux, Europa Musica, Polmusic, Denon, Polskie Nagrania, and Pro Musica Camerata

At present he is Artistic Director and Conductor of the Lebanese National Symphony Orchestra in Beirut

Recognized worldwide for his brilliant interpretation and impeccable skill, José María Gallardo Del Rey is constantly being sought after to perform solo recitals as well as alongside world-renowned orchestras As a result, he performed concerts all around Asia alongside different orchestras in cities like Hong Kong, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, Brunei, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, Bangkok, Manila, Hanoi, Peking and Tianjing In Australia, Gallardo Del Rey was the first to play works by Sainsbury and G Brophy that were specially composed and dedicated to him

He played under the baton of conductors of the calibre of Frübeck de Burgos, Ros Marbá, García Asensio, Ramón Encinar, García Navarro, Philippe Entremont, Raymond Calcraft and Leo Brouer

In Europe, José María Gallardo Del Rey gave outstanding performances alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London; he also participated in the concert commemorating the signing of the Rome Treaty in Brussels He gave concerts at the Champs Elysee Theatre, the Stockholm Concert House & Opera, the Dublin National Auditorium, the Opera Comique of Paris, Konzerthaus of Viena, Audiroium Stravinski of Montreaux, Performance Arts Centre of California or Carnegie Hall in New York

In Spain, José María Gallardo Del Rey is a regular figure on the stages of the Madrid National Auditorium, Monumental Theatre, Royal Theatre, Maestranza Theatre and Zarzuela Theatre where he performs as a solo player or as part of orchestras Example of which is his participation at the Zarzuela Theatre in the Spanish National Ballet’s recent production of the Concierto de Aranjuez

He was the guitar player chosen by composer Fernando Arbex in order to make the cadenzes of the Concierto de Toledo recorded in London with the London Philharmonic Orchestra

His last Cd, “The Trees Speak” edited by Deustche Grammophon is a virtuosity work and the summit of his professional career

For the coming season, José María Gallardo Del Rey is scheduled to tour Spain, Italy, Rome, Korea, Tailandia, Japan, Santo Domingo, Florida, United Kingdom, Russia, Lithuania, Belarus, Singapore and China

Biography

SARAH CHANG, violin

Violinist Sarah Chang is recognized the world over as one of classical music’s most captivating and gifted performers One of the most remarkable prodigies of any generation, she has matured into a young artist whose musical insight, technical virtuosity, and emotional range continue to astonish Appearing in the music capitals of Asia, Europe and the Americas, she has collaborated with most major orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Bayerische Rundfunk Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo, the Hong Kong Symphony Orchestra and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra amongst others

Among the esteemed conductors with whom she has worked are Daniel Barenboim, Sir Colin Davis, Gustavo Dudamel, Charles Dutoit, Valery Gergiev, Bernard Haitink, James Levine, Lorin Maazel, Kurt Masur, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti, André Previn, Sir Simon Rattle, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Leonard Slatkin, Michael Tilson Thomas and David Zinman Notable recital engagements have included her Carnegie Hall debut and performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D C , Orchestra Hall in Chicago, Symphony Hall in Boston, the Barbican Centre in London, the Philharmonie in Berlin as well as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam She has reached an even wider audience through her many television appearances, concert broadcasts and best-selling recordings for EMI Classics The remarkable accomplishments of her career were recognized in 1999 when she received the Avery Fisher Prize, one of the most prestigious awards given to instrumentalists

As a chamber musician, Ms Chang has collaborated with such artists as Pinchas Zukerman, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Yefim Bronfman, Martha Argerich, Leif Ove Andsnes, Stephen Kovacevich, Yo-Yo Ma, Lynn Harrell, Lars Vogt and the late Isaac Stern In 2005/06 Ms Chang toured with members of the Berlin Philharmonic and the Concertgebouw Orchestra with a Sextet programme in summer festivals leading to a concert at the Berlin Philharmonie With the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Ms Chang toured Korea in 2006/07 and will again join the orchestra for an Asia Tour next season Also next season,

Biography

GENNADY YANIN, First soloist, Bolshoi Ballet

After graduating in 1986 from the Moscow Ballet School he joined the Ballet Company of the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre where he danced solo parts in Giselle, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, Esmeralda, La Sylphide, Le Corsaire, Walpurgis Night Ballet Divertissement from the opera Faust At the same time he took part in Kremlin Ballet productions In 1995, he joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company His repertory includes: Friend to Prince (Swan Lake); Jester (Swan Lake), Puss in Boots (The Sleeping Beauty), The Golden Idol (La Bayadere), Madge (La Sylphide); The Jester (Legend of Love), The Devil and The Russian Doll (The Nutcracker); title role in Cipollino, Modest Alexeyevich (Anyuta), The Jester (Romeo and Juliet), Alain and Simona (La Fille Mal Gardee He created: title roles of the Passiphonte (La Fille du Pharaon), Accordion player (The Bright Stream), Kozelkov (Bolt), Dancing master (Cinderella), Variety show compere (The Golden Age Music by Dmitry Shostakovich Yuri Grigorovich production)

In 1992, he won 1 prize at the International Ballet Competition in the Italian city of Rieti In 2004 – National Award “Golden Mask”

Ms Chang will tour Europe and the UK with the English Chamber Orchestra performing Vivaldi Four Seasons which she will play/direct

Last season, Ms Chang performed with the Berlin Philharmonic (with which she recorded Prokofiev’s and Shostakovich’s first violin concertos under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle), London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestre Philharmonique de Luxembourg, Danish Radio Orchestra, as well as with the New York Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Leipzig Gewandhaus, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony, among others This season she has toured the USA with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, which concluded with a performance at Carnegie Hall Other orchestras she has worked with this season include the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra In the Spring a major recital tour of the USA and Europe will include performances at the Carnegie Hall, New York, and the National Concert Hall, Dublin

Ms Chang records exclusively for EMI Classics Her widely lauded recordings include “Fire and Ice,” an album of popular shorter works for violin and orchestra, with Placido Domingo conducting the Berlin Philharmonic, a disc of chamber music for strings (Dvorak’s Sextet and Tchaikovsky’s “Souvenir de Florence”) with current and former members of the Berlin Philharmonic, and the Dvorak Violin Concerto with the London Symphony and Sir Colin Davis, along with the Dvorak Piano Quintet (with Leif Ove Andsnes, Alex Kerr, Georg Faust and Wolfram Christ) She has also recorded a CD of French sonatas by Ravel, Saint-Saens and Franck, in collaboration with pianist Lars Vogt Last season Ms Chang recorded Prokofiev’s and Shostakovich’s first violin concertos live with the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle and this season recorded Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

Born in Philadelphia to Korean parents, Sarah Chang began her violin studies at age 4 and promptly enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music, where she studied with the late Dorothy DeLay Within a year she had already performed with several orchestras in the Philadelphia area Her early auditions, at age 8, for Zubin Mehta and Riccardo Muti led to immediate engagements with the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra

Ms Chang has appeared on numerous television and radio programs throughout Europe, North America and the Far East Along with Pete Sampras and Wynton Marsalis, she is a featured artist in Movado’s global advertising campaign “The Art of Time ” In 2006, Ms Chang was named by Newsweek as one of the Twenty Top Women on Leadership

In 2005, Yale University named a chair in Sprague Hall in honor of Ms Chang In June 2004, she was given the honor of running with the Olympic Torch in New York, and became the youngest person ever to receive the Hollywood Bowl’s Hall of Fame award She is a past recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant, Gramophone’s “Young Artist of the Year” award, Germany’s “Echo” Schallplattenpreis, “Newcomer of the Year” honours at the International Classical Music Awards in London, and Korea’s “Nan Pa” award In July 2005 she was awarded the Internazionale Accademia Musicale Chigiana Prize

Capuleti e i Montecchi at Vienna’s Konzerthaus, scheduled for release on CD with Deutsche Grammophon Other highlights of her work in concert include gala concerts in Prague and Vienna; as well as performances of Mahler’s Third Symphony at Vienna’s Musikverein; Berio’s Folk Songs with the Berlin Philharmonic; concerts with the Orchestra National de France led by Riccardo Muti; and concerts with the Salzburg Festival under the baton of Mariss Jansons

Ms Garanča has appeared frequently for audiences in Vienna including recent performances as Charlotte in a new production of Werther opposite Marcelo Alvarez, Rosina, Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte, Octavian, and Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro under the direction of Riccardo Muti with the Vienna Staatsoper as well as her first performances as Sesto in La clemenza di Tito with Theater an der Wien Ms Garanča made her debut at the Salzburg Festival as Annio in a new production of La clemenza di Tito under the direction of Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and she soon returned for performances as Dorabella The role of Dorabella was the vehicle for her debut with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and with the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence in a Patrice Chereau production seen also at the Vienna Festwochen and with the Opéra de Paris

Audiences in Paris saw the mezzo-soprano for the first time when she made her debut in the title role of La cenerentola with the Théâtre Champs-Elysées, and she soon returned for performances with the Opéra de Paris as Octavian and Mozart’s Sesto The role of Sesto was also the vehicle for her debut with the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin She counts among her other recent successes her first performances as Adalgisa opposite the Norma of Edita Gruberova in concert performances in Baden-Baden and performances as Nicklausse for her debut in Japan with the New National Theater She has appeared frequently in Finland including performances as Rosina and Giovanna Seymour in Anna Bolena with the Finnish National Opera and Maddalena in Rigoletto with the Savonlinna Festival In her native Latvia, she has appeared as Rosina with the National Opera and as Giovanna Seymour on tour with the National Opera to Romania and Greece

Ms Garanča is a frequent guest with leading symphony orchestras throughout Europe She has appeared with the Vienna Philharmonic in performances of Berg’s Sieben frühe Lieder and with the Bayerische Rundfunk in Dvorak’s Requiem She performed de Falla’s Der Dreispitz at Vienna’s Musikverein led by Bertrand de Billy and appeared in Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Orchestre National de France led by Kurt Masur She recently completed a European concert tour with the Orchestra of the Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam under the direction of Mariss Jansons as well as a solo concert tour of seven cities in Germany with the Munich Symphony Orchestra In 2006, she returned to the Salzburg Festival for concerts of Mozart sacred music conducted by Riccardo Muti She is a frequent guest in Finland where she has appeared as soloist in Rossini’s Stabat Mater and in a concert of Mozart arias, both with the Helsinki Philharmonic She has also appeared in concert with the RAI Orchestra in Turin and with the Belgian National Orchestra Ms Garanča has a varied recital repertoire and has given solo recitals Vienna’s Musikverein, the Helsinki Festival and the Turku Festival

Ms Garanča began her professional career as a resident artist with the Südthüringischer Staatstheater in Meiningen where she appeared in a number of leading roles Later, as a resident artist with the Frankfurt Opera, she appeared as Rosina, Dorabella, and Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel

In September 2005 Ms Garanča became an exclusive recording artist with Deutsche Grammophon Her first solo recording ‘Aria Cantilena’ was released in March 2007 to great popular and critical acclaim and was awarded the prestigious ECHO KLASSIK award for ‘Singer of the Year 2007 ’ In July 2007 she was one of a quartet of singers for gala concerts in Baden Baden, and the third of these concerts was broadcast live on ZDF to a German audience of over two million A CD and DVD of the concerts are scheduled for release by Deutsche Grammphon, and a documentary of the event will be broadcast throughout Europe in 2008 In 2006 she participated in DG’s all-star compilation ‘The Mozart Album’ commemorating the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth Ms Garanča’s appearances on television also include performances of arias and

64 6�

Principal Guest Conductor between 2000 and 2003) In 1999 he debuted at the Metropolitan Opera New York with Rigoletto and has returned on numerous occasions since

During recent seasons he made highly successful debuts with such orchestras as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Oslo Philharmonic and the Russian National Orchestra, as well as with the Pittsburgh Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra

His operatic highlights have included The Queen of Spades at the Metropolitan Opera, Parsifal and Wozzeck at the Welsh National Opera, War and Peace at the Opera National de Paris as well as Die Zauberflöte, La Cenerentola and Otello at Glyndebourne Opera Last season Vladimir Jurowski made his debut at La Scala conducting Eugene Onegin He will conduct Rossini’s La Cenerentola and a new production of Verdi’s Macbeth in this year’s Glyndebourne Festival Opera

Recent and future symphonic engagements include concerts with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Dresden Staatskapelle, the Royal Concertgebouw, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe

Jurowski’s discography includes the first ever recording of the cantata Exile by Giya Kancheli for ECM (1994), L’etoile du Nord by Meyerbeer for Naxos-Marco Polo (1996), Werther by Massenet for BMG (1999), and recently released live recordings of works by Rachmaninov, M -A Turnage and Tchaikovsky on London Philharmonic Orchestra’s own label His first of a series of recordings with the Russian National Orchestra, featuring Tchaikovsky’s Suite No 3 and Stravinsky’s Divertimento from Le baiser de la fée, was released on PentaTone Classics last year and was followed by the recording of Shostakovich Symphonies No 1 & 6 released earlier this year

In January 2001 Vladimir Jurowski commenced his position as Music Director of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera and in 2003 was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and a member of the Russian National Orchestra Conductor Collegium In 2005 he was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Russian National Orchestra, and last year he was also announced as a Principal Artist of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Vladimir Jurowski will become London Philharmonic Orchestra’s twelfth Principal Conductor in September this year

Biography

SAEED KAMAL, conductor

He was born in Cairo, 1976 into a musical family He studied singing at the age of four and played many musical instruments at an early stage of his life In 1991 he joined the Arab Conservatoire where he studied the violin with the Russian Professor Nicoli and the Egyptian Professor Mohammad Osama

In 1998 he obtained his B A from Cairo Conservatoire with excellent and honor degree In 2000 he obtained the higher diploma with excellent degree In 2001 he was appointed to teach violin at the Arabic Conservatoire Currently he is working on his Master

Degree He played as a soloist with many Egyptian orchestras and many Arab artists in international festivals Since 2002 he has been working in music arrangement and as a conductor

Nja Mahdaoui is a visual artist, and an explorer of signs Born in Tunis in 1937, he now lives and works in Tunisia

Graduate of the Academy of Arts of Santa Andrea in Rome & of the Ecole du Louvre: Department of oriental antiquities, he has received a number of distinctions and national and international prizes As the “Grand Prix des Arts et des Lettres Tunisia”, he takes part in group artistic exhibitions, organizes exhibitions of individual and group work, takes part regularly in seminars and colloquia at universities in Tunisia and abroad

Nja Mahdaoui has organized performances of “Total Art,” interactive communication between Arab and European artists, and artists from North America and Asia on the theme “Language and register in exchanges” in the visual arts and Theatre and dance on the theme: “Body-Writing ” These have taken place in Tunisia, France, Italy, Denmark, Japan, Cuba, Canada, Germany and Jordan Nja Mahdaoui is a member of the International Jury of the Arts Prize of UNESCO He has been Guest of honour and Jury member of The Sharjah International Arabic Calligraphy Biennial (UAE 2006) and The International Arts Biennial of Tehran (Iran 2006)

He is cited in The WHO’S WHO in Graphic Design (Zurich), Men of Achievement IBC Cambridge, The BENEZIT (Dictionary of Painters, sculptors, designers and engravers of E Benezit) He has participated in the monumental decoration of the International Airports of Jeddah and Riyadh, and the ARAMCO head office at Dahran (Saudi Arabia)

He has won the international competition for the external design of 4 aircrafts for the Gulf Air 50th Anniversary The national airline of Bahrain, Oman and the UAE

Biography

NJA MAHDAOUI, artist

Biography

ANNA NETREBKO, soprano

Anna Netrebko is no longer just the darling of the opera world: she is enchanting audiences around the globe while continuing to cultivate the respect and admiration of opera’s most devoted and demanding fans Her beautiful, dark and distinctive voice, together with her elegant and alluring stage presence, have prompted critics to hail the Russian soprano as “Audrey Hepburn with a voice,” and “a singer who simply has it all: a voice of astounding purity, precision and scope, extensive dynamic and tonal range, imagination, insight and wit – all combined with a dazzling

songs on programs including ‘Klassisch!’ and ‘Eine Grosses Nachtmusik ’ In October 2006, the Foundation Europäischer Kulturpreis awarded Elina Garanča a prize for her artistic achievements during a gala at the Semper Opera Dresden, and Ms Garanča’s performance was later broadcast throughout Germany Ms Garanča’s solo recording debut was a program of opera arias released by Ondine in 2001 In 2004 the mezzo-soprano recorded Vivaldi’s Les Bazaget for Virgin Classics, and in 2005 she completed a solo recording of Mozart arias with the same label Also in 2005, she recorded Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia with the Münchener Rundfunkorchester for Sony Her performance as Charlotte in Massenet’s Werther at the Vienna State Opera opposite Marcelo Alvarez was released on DVD on the TDK label The same label also released a DVD of the Salzburg Festival’s 2003 production of La clemenza di Tito which featured Ms Garanča as Annio

Ms Garanča was born into a musical family in Riga, Latvia In 1996 she entered the Latvian Academy of Music, and since 1998 she has studied with Irina Gavrilovici in Vienna and Virginia Zeani in the United States She won the Mirjam Helin Singing Competition in 1999 and was a finalist in the 2001 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition

Virtuoso pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger and broadcaster, Julian Joseph is the undisputed heir to the global house of jazz Acclaimed by critics and audiences the world over, Julian never fails to inspire with his mastery of the keyboard, the versatility of his musicianship, and the seemingly limitless scope of his creative imagination Always relaxed and self-assured, Julian is completely at home on any stage and in front of any band His passion for the music is palpable, and his desire to communicate that passion compelling

Over the past two decades Julian has developed and expanded his musical capabilities in a staggering array of formats As a solo performer he holds audiences rapt from the minute he sits down at the piano, undaunted by either the vastness or intimacy of the platform He is to be seen at all the major international festivals, has toured the globe with his Trio and Quartet, Electric Band and Forum Project band, and directed and performed with his All-Star Big Band at some of the grandest venues in the UK to audiences of thousands

A feature of a Julian Joseph concert is the wide-ranging repertoire of original compositions and arrangements upon which he draws Challenging and innovative, they are deeply rooted in the jazz tradition and, as with all great jazz music, combine his own unique voice with those of his predecessors Julian’s musical ideas reflect the eclectic influence of all forms of music in the history of jazz: from classical to rock and pop, everything is relevant Jazz has always been an inclusive art form, and Julian is particularly concerned that it never become exclusive, either in its construction or its execution

Julian has also established himself as a jazz pioneer in the classical world He was the first jazz musician to be invited to give a series of all-acoustic concerts at London’s most prestigious classical venue, the Wigmore Hall He has recorded duets by Milhaud, Stravinsky and Poulenc with Brazilian pianist Marcelo Bratke, combining them with his own arrangements of music by Duke Ellington, Chick Corea and Bill Evans, and collaborated with concert violinist Viktoria Mullova on her fusion project, ‘Through the Looking Glass’ As a soloist, he has given recitals of Bartók and Prokofiev sonatas and performed Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F and the Rhapsody in Blue with some of the most renowned symphony orchestras in Europe At the same time, Julian’s own classically-oriented work never ventures too far away from his jazz focus This is particularly evident in his writing for big band and strings

Biography

JULIAN JOSEPH, piano

or full symphony orchestra, in which he demonstrates an exceptional ability to orchestrate complex textures of rhythm and sound without losing the essential groove that is at the heart of jazz In this way he is ever pushing the boundaries, whilst building on the legacy of the great jazz composers – Duke Ellington, Gil Evans, Herbie Hancock and Jaco Pastorius

Julian is greatly respected and much sought-after by other musicians in both the jazz and classical worlds He has a generosity of spirit that is both infectious and reassuring He brings to projects an enthusiasm and commitment that guarantees success His collaborations are varied and dynamic, and his contribution to these projects always significant and highly valued Off the concert platform, Julian is in constant demand as a broadcaster and presenter His weekly radio show, ‘Jazz Legends’ for BBC Radio 3 ran for six seasons, from 2000 to 2007, and he has made two series for Meridian TV in the UK, ‘Jazz with Julian Joseph’, and a jazz series for Sky TV’s ‘Artsworld’ channel He is the recipient of numerous music awards, including the 2006 Parliamentary Jazz Awards’ Broadcaster of the Year, and was recently invited to become a ‘Creative Industries Luminary for London’ by Mayor Ken Livingstone

Julian also plays an important role in jazz education He was central to the launch of a jazz syllabus for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music – the UK’s primary music examination board – which includes some of his own compositions, is patron of the Jazz Development Trust and, always keen to pass on his knowledge and skills to aspiring players, regularly builds into his touring schedule time to advise and nurture students of all ages

Julian Joseph has reached the peak of his profession but only just begun to demonstrate the scope of his potential The multi-faceted dimensions of his artistry are plain As a pianist he is unsurpassed, as a composer he has brought new vitality to the music, and as a descendent of the jazz greats, he is not only fulfilling their legacy, but promises to become a seminal figure for the twenty-first century

Born in Moscow as a son of conductor Mikhail Jurowski, Vladimir Jurowski completed the first part of his musical studies in his native town at the Music College of the Moscow Conservatory In 1990 he moved with his family to Germany where he continued his studies at High Schools of Music in Dresden and in Berlin, studying conducting with Rolf Reuter and vocal coaching with Semion Skigin

In 1995 he made his international debut at the Wexford Festival, where he conducted Rimsky-Korsakov’s May Night The same year saw his brilliant debut at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in Nabucco

In the season 1996/97 Jurowski has joined the ensemble of Komische Oper Berlin A season later he has been given the title of First Kapellmeister of this theatre He continued working at the Komische Oper on a permanent basis until 2001 Since 1997 Vladimir Jurowski has been a guest at some of the world’s leading musical institutions such as the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Teatro La Fenice di Venezia, Opera Bastille de Paris, Theatre de la Monnaie Bruxelles, Maggio Musicale Festival Florence, Rossini Opera Festival Pesaro, Edinburgh Festival, Semperoper Dresden, Teatro Comunale di Bologna (where he has served as

Biography

VLADIMIR JUROWSKI, conductor

charisma that makes it all but impossible to look away when she is performing ’

Since her triumphant Salzburg Festival debut in 2002 as Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Anna Netrebko has gone on to appear with nearly all of the world’s great opera companies, including the Metropolitan Opera, the San Francisco Opera, the Los Angeles Opera, London’s Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Vienna State Opera, Munich’s Bavarian State Opera, the Berlin State Opera, and the Deutsche Oper Berlin She also frequently returns to the Kirov Opera at the Marians Theatre in St Petersburg (where she began by cleaning the floors during her conservatory days and later made her stage debut as Susana in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro in 1994) to collaborate with her long-time mentor, conductor Valery Gergiev

Anna Netrebko made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2002 as Natasha in Prokofiev’s War and Peace, a role she has also sung at London’s Covent Garden, Milan’s Teatro alla Scala and Madrid’s Teatro Real Netrebko’s other signature roles include Mimì in Puccini’s La bohème, Giulietta in Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Norina in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale and Adina in his L’elisir d’amore, Ilia in Mozart’s Idomeneo, the title roles in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor and in Massenet’s Manon, Susanna in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Elvira in Bellini’s I puritani, Juliette in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, Amina in Bellini’s La sonnambula, and Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata

Ms Netrebko also appears extensively in concerts and recitals throughout the world, both in revered music halls such as London’s Barbican Hall and Paris’s Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, and in outdoor arenas in front of tens-of-thousands of people The Berlin Concert: Live From The Waldbühne – an outdoor appearance with Plácido Domingo and Rolando Villazón on the eve of the 2006 World Cup Final – was performed in front of an audience of 20,000, watched on television by millions, and became a best-selling DVD Netrebko made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2007 in a sold-out concert with baritone Dimitri Hvorostovsky, and later that year she headlined the BBC’s tradition-rich “Last Night of the Proms” at the Royal Albert Hall in London

At only 36 years of age, Anna Netrebko boasts a discography that is already quite extensive and includes solo albums, complete opera recordings, and DVDs Her solo discs for the venerable Deutsche Grammophon label – “Opera Arias”, “Sempre libera”, and “Russian Album” – have all been bestsellers, as have her audio recordings and DVDs of La traviata and Le nozze di Figaro and her DVD of music videos, “Anna Netrebko: The Woman, The Voice ” To date, all of her albums have earned platinum status in Germany and Austria Her new CD, “Duets”, with her frequent stage partner, tenor Rolando Villazón, claimed the top spot on the Billboard classical chart shortly after its release in the U S , and in Europe Duets set a record for the best debut ever for a classical album, climbing to the top of the pop charts in several countries

Further confirming her status as “the reigning new diva of the early 21st century,” in 2007 Anna Netrebko became the first opera singer ever to be named to the TIME 100 list—Time magazine’s list of the most influential people in the world Other honours and awards include a Grammy nomination for her recording Violetta, Musical America’s 2008 “Musician of the Year,” Germany’s prestigious Bambi Award, the UK’s Classical BRIT Award for “Singer of the Year,” five German Echo Klassik awards, and the Russian State Prize – the country’s highest award in the field of arts and literature – which was bestowed on her in 2005 by President Vladimir Putin

Highlights of Anna Netrebko’s current season include Roméo et Juliette with the Metropolitan Opera; La traviata in her debut with Deutsche Oper Berlin and in her return to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; her debut with the Opéra de Paris in I Capuleti e i Montecchi; Manon with the Vienna State Opera; and further performances of Roméo et Juliette with the Salzburg Festival On the concert stage, she appears in performances of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater at Vienna’s Musikverein and as Bellini’s Giulietta at Vienna’s Konzerthaus She also returns to the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin for a concert led by Daniel Barenboim

Biography

ERWIN SCHROTT, bass-baritone

Born in Montevideo, Uruguay Erwin Schrott made his professional debut there in 1994 After winning the 1998 Operalia Competition he made debuts that year in Verona, Washington and Cagliari, and subsequently at the Vienna State Opera, Paris Opéra, Metropolitan Opera, New York, Hamburg State Opera, La Scala, Milan, Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires and in Brussels, Chicago, Genoa and Florence Mr Schrott made his Royal Opera debut as Banquo in 2002, returning as Leporello Other repertory includes Don Giovanni (Royal Opera, Washington, Los Angeles, Florence, La Scala, Metropolitan Opera, Valencia), Mozart’s Figaro (Los Angeles, Vienna, Zürich, Metropolitan Opera), Escamillo (Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles, Cincinnati) and Méphistophélès in La Damnation de Faust (Rome, with the Accademia di Santa Cecilia and Antonio Pappano) Plans include Don Giovanni (La Scala, Metropolitan Opera, Vienna, Salzburg, Munich, Valencia, Seville), Nozze di Figaro (Vienna, Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera, Los Angeles, Barcelona, Munich) and Faust (Barcelona, Vienna)

Biography

KHALED SELIM, singer

Khalid Saleem began his musical career at an early age His parents, who believed in his talent, encourage him immensely As a child, he moved a lot between Cairo and Kuwait where his father used to work Later he settled in Cairo and joined the college of business He was selected as the best singer at Cairo University in three consecutive years 1997, 98, 99 Then he was chosen as the first singer of the Egyptian Universities Khalid can sing in Arabic, English and Turkish and plays the lute very well He was enchanted by the songs of Mohammad Abu Al Wahab, Abd Al Haleem Hafez, Umm Khulthoom, Fayrouz, Warda Al Jazairaya This left an impact on him Khalid>s voice is deep and romantic He keeps training and learning to play different kinds of musical instruments The Nile Channel awarded him the prize of best singer in 2000 He was frequent guest to honor Abd Al Haleem Hafez in Morocco, the Opera House in Egypt and many parts in the world He was honored by people who loved his album «Another World» in which his interpretation based on his repertoire of heritage music The album was released to great popular and critical acclaim He has recorded more CDs such as: Neither Night nor Day«I love you» she saidTake the BeautifulAway from me

He played in films and TV serials with Warda Al Jazairaya His movie «Special Operations» is screened now in movie theatres

66 6�

a Gramophone Award, two Echo awards, and the Edison Prize His latest recording, Saint-Saëns, Piano Concerti Nos 2&5, with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, released in early fall 2007, follows the album, Aria—Opera Without Words, which was released in February 2007, inspired by the artist’s love and admiration for the human voice as “the best vehicle for expression in music ” The disc features transcriptions of opera arias by Saint-Saëns, R Strauss, Gluck, Korngold, Bellini, J Strauss II and Puccini; some of the transcriptions are by Mikhashoff, Sgambati and Brassin, others—Thibaudet’s own Thibaudet was the soloist on the 2005 Oscar-nominated soundtrack of Universal Pictures’ Pride and Prejudice, and in 2005 released his recording of Strauss’s Burleske with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra Among other recordings are Satie: The Complete Solo Piano Music, and the jazz albums Reflections on Duke: Jean-Yves Thibaudet plays the music of Duke Ellington and Conversations with Bill Evans, his tribute to two of jazz history’s greats

Jean-Yves Thibaudet was born in Lyon, France, where he began his piano studies at age five and made his first public appearance at age seven At twelve, he entered the Paris Conservatory to study with Aldo Ciccolini and Lucette Descaves, a friend and collaborator of Ravel At age fifteen, he won the Premier Prix de Conservatoire and three years later, won the Young Concert Artists Auditions in New York City In 2001, the Republic of France awarded Thibaudet the prestigious Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and in 2002, he was awarded the Premio Pegasus from the Spoleto Festival in Italy, for his artistic achievements and his longstanding involvement with the festival His most recent accolade is the 2007 Victoire d’Honneur, a lifetime career achievement award and the highest honour given by France’s Victoire de la Musique

Biography

NIKOLAJ ZNAIDER, violin

Celebrated as one of the foremost violinists of today, Nikolaj Znaider is regularly invited to work with the world’s leading orchestras including, Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, St Petersburg Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Symphony, and enjoys artistic collaborations with acclaimed conductors including Barenboim, Chung, Sir Colin Davis, von Dohnanyi, Dutoit, Gergiev, Jansons, Maazel, Masur, Mehta, Rostropovich, Temirkanov and Thielemann

Born in Denmark to Polish-Israeli parents, Znaider studied with the eminent Russian pedagogue Boris Kushnir and drawing on this eclectic background his playing has been heralded in the Strad Magazine as “extraordinarily intelligent, soulful and impassioned, yet without a hint of indulgence” and the Chicago Tribune said “Perhaps not since the young Gidon Kremer burst upon the violin world in 1970 has a violinist caused quite the stir of Nikolaj Znaider”

A keen recitalist and chamber musician, Znaider has shared the stage with the foremost artists of today such as Daniel Barenboim, Leif Ove Andsnes, Yuri Bashmet, Yefim Bronfman, Lynn Harrell, Lang Lang and Pinchas Zukerman His recent project, recording the complete Piano Trios of Mozart with Barenboim and Zlotnikov has just been released on EMI Classics

Biography

NASEER SHAMMA, composer/oud

Naseer Shamma was born in 1963 in Al-Kut, a southern city in Iraq He studied at Baghdad’s Institute of Music and, In 1987, received a diploma in musical art Later he specialized in the Oud

Since he started his professional career, Naseer has been composing his own music Giving concerts in various parts of the world has become his main concern He is now one of the most esteemed and prolific Oud musicians

In addition to holding concerts, Naseer is currently director of the Beit Al-Oud Al-Arabi at Al-Harawi – Cairo, which was founded by him in 1998

Naseer performs on the Oud in a manner which combines ancient methods with his own original modern compositions Naseer Shamma is the only musician to have constructed an eight-string Oud or Lute following the manuscript of the famous 9th century music theorist Al-Farabi This new design (eight instead of six strings) expanded the musical range of the Oud and gave it a distinct tonality

His innovations go beyond that to include a new method of playing the Oud using one hand This allows handicapped people to play and enjoy the instrument

Biography

JEAN-YVES THIBAUDET, piano

Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet continues to bring joy to audiences around the globe with his elegant style, depth of colour, and brilliant technique His interpretations combine a masterful virtuosity with lyric and poetic expressiveness, with which he makes each composer’s work his own Sought after by orchestras, conductors, festivals and fellow musicians alike for his versatility and artistic sensitivity, and equally prolific in the performance and recording arenas, he continues to be hailed by the press as “one of the best pianists in the world ”

Highlights of Mr Thibaudet’s 2007-08 season in the US include three performances at New York’s Carnegie Hall with the Boston Symphony Orchestra (October 8), National Symphony Orchestra (February 7), and the Takács Quartet (April 26) Additional orchestral appearances include the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Baltimore Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Internationally, the season takes Thibaudet to sixteen countries spanning five continents, with appearances including tours with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Luxembourg, London Philharmonic Orchestra, and Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, as well as concerts with such world-renowned ensembles as London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, the NHK and Singapore Symphony Orchestras, the Oslo Philharmonic, Radio Philharmonic Holland, Tonhalle Orchester Zürich, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Seville Royal Symphony Orchestra and the Valencia Orchestra A vivid recitalist, in 2007-08 Jean-Yves Thibaudet performs at Paris’s Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Carnegie’s Zankel Hall in New York and Chicago’s Symphony Hall Additional recitals take him to Japan, Germany, Spain, and several US cities Mr Thibaudet’s season is rounded out by performances at some of the world’s most renowned festivals, which include the Tuscan Sun, Ravinia and Saratoga Festivals in summer 2007, the historic December Nights of Sviatoslav Richter Festival in Moscow, followed by January performances at the Cartagena Festival in Colombia and the New Zealand Festival in March An active chamber musician, Jean-Yves Thibaudet collaborates regularly with other notable artists, and tours with Takács Quartet in April 2008

Jean-Yves Thibaudet is an exclusive recording artist for Decca, which has released over 30 of his albums, earning the Schallplattenpreis, the Diapason d’Or, Choc de la Musique,

An exclusive RCA Red Seal recording artist, Znaider’s latest recording of the Beethoven and Mendelssohn Violin Concerti with the Israel Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta has been greeted with critical acclaim He recently returned to the studio record the complete works for violin and piano of Johannes Brahms with Yefim Bronfman His award winning recordings of Prokofiev and Glazunov Violin Concerti with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Mariss Jansons and ‘Bravo’, his album of Romantic Virtuosic violin music have also been critically acclaimed and were Editor’s Choice in Grammophone Magazine “Znaider’s confident, abundantly characterful account of the Prokofiev is, on balance, the finest I’ve heard his playing is a model of scrupulous observation and profound musicality ”

Znaider is passionate about the education of musical talent and is Founder and Artistic Director of the Nordic Music Academy, an annual summer school whose vision it is to create conscious and focused musical development based on quality and commitment

Nikolaj Znaider plays the “Kreisler” Guarnerius “del Gesu” 1741 on extended loan to him by The Royal Danish Theater through the generosity of the VELUX FOUNDATIONS and the Knud Højgaard Foundation

Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation H E Hoda I Al Khamis-Kanoo - ADMAF FounderSally Tabbara - Executive ManagerMarianne Tuéni - Office ManagerJérémie Regnier - Events ExecutiveMartin Ninalga - AccountantMary Grace Monera - Secretary Sheryl Biscocho - SecretaryRana Taha - Events ManagerWaddad Muroe

ADMAF Board AdvisorsMr Bachir Al Haskouri Ms Razan Al MubarakMr Raymond Mouracade Mr Saeed Khalifa Al Baloushi Mrs Mary Corrado

Mr Mohammed KanooHE Hamed Ahmed Al Suwaidi Mrs Zahra Al MasaoudDr Sheikha Al Maskari HE Khaldoun Al MubarakDr Frauke Heard Bey Mr Terence Allen HE Mohammed Ahmed Al Suwaidi

IMG ArtistsBarrett Wissman - Chairman Jeffrey M Fuhrman - President and Chief Operating OfficerIan Smallbone - Senior Vice President & Managing DirectorGeoff Street - Senior Producer and Project Consultant

Adrian Bourke - Festival Technical Manager Sally Rogers - Senior Vice President, Projects DirectorRobert Blake - Senior Manager, Marketing & CommunicationsRachel Vickers - Dance ManagerMilly Olykan - Projects ManagerRachel Girling - PA to Ian SmallboneHeather Clark-Charrington - Programme Brochure Editor

Programme NotesMarc Rochester

Special Thanks:

Founder & Organiser

• Beethoven Institute of Music • Elite Arabic Institute• Center EDU Care • K Peers• Indain School • Abu Dhabi Women College• M Rivet • Abu Dhabi Men College• Zayed University • Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Girls• UAE University - Al Ain • Emirates College for Advance Education• British School Al Khudeirat

A very special thank you to the schools participating in the Children’s Day:

Acknowledgement:

H H Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu DhabiH E Sheikh, Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Higher Education & Scientific ResearchPresident and Patron, Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation

barrett wissman - admaf program

Documents